A Warrior's Lament
by Billy Creston
Summary: Sora's homecoming is bittersweet. He had returned home at last, and found that life had moved on in his absence. As he tries to piece together his life as a normal person, the threat of something greater lurks in the shadows... *ADULT SITUATIONS*
1. Homecoming

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is my first fanfic, so try not to flame me too badly. This story may seem slow at first but bear with me, and hopefully you won't be disappointed. I officially own nothing; there may be some original ideas/characters in this story, but they are all for the most part based on that existing within the realm of Kingdom Hearts. Also, this is non-canon, but I will try to keep as faithful to the characters as possible. Read and review.**

The life of a warrior has never been easy, especially for one so young.

Most people his age would have been playing with their friends, hanging out at the movies, maybe even going on dates. God, he was only a boy then…a child, really. He had grown up alone, his parents dying when he was still so very young. Right then, the world had been ready to swallow him whole, but his resolve was too great. He found respite in the handful of children his own age on the Destiny Islands, and slowly, the sheltered orphan felt he could be happy again. It was what they all loved most about him; that big goofy grin that somehow told you that nothing else mattered.

Sadly, like all things in life, it wasn't meant to last forever.

In an instant the perfect world he knew; relaxing lazily on the beach, the cool breeze from the ocean caressing his face, the smell of salt and palm trees, the warm sun and the clear blue sky…it was all gone. In its place there was darkness that went on forever. His home, his friends…ripped from right in front of him. Suddenly he was that little boy again, standing in the threshold of his home, waiting for the family that would never return.

That's when it happened…that's when he received the Key.

For the first time in his life, he had to fight to keep…no…to _reclaim_ what was so precious to him. He had to trust those he barely knew, and fight those he'd known his whole life. There seemed to be no end to the darkness, to the Heartless that followed, but he knew that there was no one else who could bear this burden. He had been chosen, and he would see this through to the end. In the endless abyss, his light kept him going; that beacon of hope shining quite literally within his own heart. He sacrificed himself to give back all that had been taken, swearing to return to the home he had both lost and loved…promising to return to his light.

Nothing was ever that simple.

A wise man once said that only the dead have seen the end of war; but for the Keybearer, death was not an option. He pressed on; fighting back the darkness, fighting to gain back the memories he had lost, fighting to get back home. The closer he got to vanquishing the darkness, the further he got from his light. Such was his fate, he thought, until the day he was finally allowed to go home. Sure, he had been back home since that first fateful day he received the Key, but he had never really returned. There was always some loose end that remained, some enemy not quite dead and gone. This time would be different; there was no more darkness, no more missions for the Keybearer. He could finally begin to live once more, and he hoped that his light still burned for him.

The sky looked as if it was lit on fire; the sun was dipping below the horizon and bathed everything it touched in an orange-red glow. It had been three years since Sora had last seen a sunset like this one; in fact, out of all the worlds he had visited in his travels, none of them could compare to the sight of Destiny Islands. A few seagulls fluttered out overhead, making a few faint chirps as they faded into the distance. The cool island breeze tousled the already gravity-defying spikes of soft brown hair atop his head. For a moment, he just stood there. He held his eyes shut and inhaled deeply, a smile creeping across his face. When his eyes opened, they seemed to glow with the horizon; deep blue sparkling with the glow of the sun, like twin stars. He looked straight up and waved, his signature grin plastered across his face. Overhead, the humming engine of the Gummi Ship intensified. A couple of hands waved to him from the cockpit moments before it streaked across the night sky like a bolt of lightning, disappearing in a distant flash. He lowered his head, taking another deep breath, and made his way down the beach.

There were distant voices shouting, and he could hear what sounding like bare feet slapping against sand and the occasional splash of water. His feet sunk into the soft white sand of the beach as he moved forward. Again, the grin plastered across his face. He was relishing every moment of this, every sensation, every smell and sound. In the distance there was a mess of orange spikes steadily poking up over the sand. The spikes slowly grew into a tall and bulky young man with a dark tan. Sora immediately recognized him as he waved his hand in the air, the faint sounds of a thick island accent trailing behind him. It wasn't long after that that a few more started to become visible; a mess of long brown hair bouncing back and forth with a yellow sundress clinging loosely to a skinny form, a set of messy golden spikes and a big dopey grin attached to the equally skinny form of a boy with a pair of board shorts slung low around his hips. They were waving wildly and shouting. Before long, the big orange-haired one was charging down the beach like a raging bull. He tackled Sora around the waist, wrapping his arms around him tightly in a bear hug and lifting him off the ground.

"Sora!" He shouted. "Great to see you, man! Glad to be back, ya?"

"Good to see you too, Wakka…" Sora managed to squeak out, trying to breathe under the crushing hug.

The one with the messy golden spikes skidded to a halt behind Wakka, tapping the big guy on the shoulder. "He just got home, man, try not to break him in half."

Wakka stopped, grinned sheepishly at Sora, and set him down in the sand. He took a few steps back, rubbing the back of his head.

"Thanks, Tidus." Sora said as he reached his hand out.

Tidus took his hand and pulled Sora in for a hug, playfully hip-checking Wakka out of the way as he did so. Wakka stumbled to the side, tripping over his own feet, and almost doing a face-plant in the sand if it weren't for the skinny brunette who came up to his side, trying to steady him. She smiled, shook her head, and went over to hug Sora tightly with Tidus sandwiched between them. She released her embrace with a giggle and waved to Sora before taking off back down the beach.

"Where's she off to in such a hurry?" Sora asked as he, Tidus, and Wakka started walking slowly after her.

"That's our Selphie." Wakka said, rubbing his hip with a bit of a wince.

"She's going to get the others." Tidus said, stopping for a moment to look behind Sora. "Say, man, uh…where's your bags?"

Sora flung the bag at his side up over his shoulder. It looked like it was barely the size of a pillow with a small drawstring attached. Sora always travelled light, as if the thought of packing too much would make his friends forget about him while he was gone.

"Is that it?" Tidus asked.

Sora nodded, giving his patented Sora smile.

"What all could you possibly fit in that thing? It's smaller than Selphie's purse!" Tidus said with a chuckle.

"Oh you know, just the essentials," Sora said as they continued down the beach. "Shampoo, body wash, toothpaste…"

"…Tissues, hand lotion, dirty magazines…" Wakka interrupted obnoxiously.

The three of them began to laugh. It felt like forever since Sora had actually laughed. Sure, his crew had run on "happy faces", but there was nothing that compared to having a laugh with a few childhood friends. Suddenly, Sora stopped dead in his tracks; his eyes widened and he was completely silent, his mouth open as if to speak. Tidus and Wakka seemed puzzled at first until they noticed what it was that had caught Sora's attention; locks of crimson-red hair being tossed about by the wind, belonging to a slender and pale-skinned girl who stood watching them, one hand pressed lightly over her mouth. Her eyes sparkled fiercely in the light of the sunset, as if tears were forming in them. Without a second thought, Sora had let his bag fall heavily into the sand and he was running across the beach to her. Tidus and Wakka looked at each other without saying a word, their expressions sliding from the usual happy-go-lucky.

Sora reached the other end of the beach, slowed his run to a walk, and took a deep breath. There she was; after all this time, Sora was able to come home to find his light waiting for him. The girl standing before him stifled an audible sob, tears spilling freely from her eyes as she flung her arms around him. She collapsed into Sora and he gripped the small of her back to steady her. She was sobbing now, shaking against him, her tears soaking the fabric on his shoulder. Sora rested his cheek against the crown of her head, closing his eyes and breathing in deeply. He wanted to savor this moment; her scent was so warm and alluring, like lavender and chamomile, he could never quite figure out what it was. Taking a few deep breaths to calm herself, she finally spoke.

"I never thought you'd come back…" She started, her voice soft and almost broken-sounding. "I never thought I'd see you again."

"Shh…it's OK, I'm here now, Kai." Sora said soothingly.

She pushed back on him for a moment and locked eyes with him, gazing into those endless pools of blue. Sora felt his pulse start to quicken. He began to think back to the last time they had seen each other, the kiss they had shared, that brief moment of bliss before he was forced to leave his light once again. To his surprise, she loosened her grip on him and took a few steps back, her hand returning to her mouth. Her tears and sobs had subsided, but there was something he could sense in her that was not quite right. A million things flashed through Sora's mind, and he tried to push them all away. He was home, he was here with Kairi, finally they could be together; this was supposed to be a happy moment for all of them.

"Hey Sora!" A familiar deep voice called out, shaking Sora from his daze.

Sora looked in the direction of the voice to see the face of his oldest friend. Sora stepped towards him, without speaking a word they both embraced tightly.

"Good to see you again, brother." He said, his voice slightly muffled by the hug.

"Likewise, Riku." Sora replied.

Riku's arms were wrapped tightly around him. His friend stood tall and rigid, yet comforting. Sora sensed something wrong. It was in Kairi's eyes, in the way Riku was embracing Sora, in the way the entire island had seemed to fall completely silent. Sora slipped from the embrace and looked over his shoulder at Kairi, her hand still pressed to her lips, trying to hold back an explosion of emotion. It was then that Sora saw it, sparkling on Kairi's finger, reflecting the now dimming light of the sunset; a diamond ring.

Sora blinked a few times, then realization hit him like a ton of bricks. Riku kept a firm grip on Sora's shoulders as if afraid that Sora was going to run. Sora looked from Kairi back to Riku, seeing a look of profound regret buried in his friend's emerald eyes.

"Are you two…" Sora started, his voice cracked and barely audible.

Riku just nodded; it was all he could do. To everyone's surprise, Sora stood strong, took a few steps back from Riku, and his patented Sora smile crossed his lips again. There was a collective sigh of relief in the gathering of friends there.

"I'm happy for you two," Sora said calmly, his voice smooth and soothing. "Truly, I am."

Sora looked back over his shoulder, noticed Tidus and Wakka standing not far behind them. Tidus had Sora's bag slung over his shoulder, which he quickly tossed back to Sora. Sora shouldered the bag and continued a few steps down the beach before turning back, flashing them his smile.

"C'mon, let's get something to eat, I'm starving." He said, motioning to them.

The friends gathered there started to move on down the beach, clamoring on and generally talking Sora's ear off. Kairi remained still for a moment or two, briefly meeting Sora's eyes as they passed. He seemed to be happy for her engagement to Riku, she genuinely believed that, but there was something that was missing from those glowing blue eyes of his. She had seen the color momentarily drain from his face, as if he had just been punched in the gut, no matter how brief it had been or how expertly he had hidden it from the rest of the group.

She knew something wasn't right…


	2. Celebrations and Conversations

**A/N: Chapter 1 has been updated with a few minor tweaks and the usual disclaimer, please feel free to re-read; I feel the way it is now is if nothing else formatted a little better. On to Chapter 2! Please read and review.**

The night air was crisp and cool, the surf calmly lapping against the shoreline. The gathering of friends led Sora down a secluded stretch of beach to a tiny out-of-the-way bistro. Citronella filled the air, and the warm glow of a few strategically-placed torches silhouetted a long table set with a red and white checkerboard tablecloth and adorned with small red candles. Selphie was waiting for them, ushering everyone in to their seats. The restaurant itself looked calm and inviting, like a secluded mountainside cabin with a covered porch just a few feet from their table. The double doors creaked open, and a tall and slender girl with cropped jet-black hair stepped out, pushing the doors open with her hips and carrying a large covered tray of food. Sora set his bag down and rushed to help her, grabbing the shaking tray from her hands. As she spun around to face him, he immediately recognized her face from all those years ago and flashed her a strained smile.

"Hey Yuffie!" Sora said, slowly turning around and setting the cumbersome tray down with ease.

She waited for him to turn around before wrapping him in a tight hug.

"Glad to see you made it back in one piece!" Yuffie said excitedly, taking a step back to look at him.

Out of the corner of his eye, Sora spotted a tall man with wild brown hair leaning up against one of the wooden pillars of the porch, his arms crossed and face expressionless. He cut a glance to Sora and waved a hand at him, which looked more like a half-assed salute. Yuffie looked over at the man and stuck out her tongue in a loud raspberry.

"Oh, never mind tall dark and depressing over there, Sora…" Yuffie started, her voice sounding annoyed. "He's just in one of his emo moods again."

Sora laughed, and waved back at him.

"Hey Leon! Good to see you!" Sora said before turning back to Yuffie. "I'm surprised to see you two here."

Yuffie shrugged and slumped down into one of the chairs with a heavy sigh.

"Selphie invited us to come and live here with the rest of you," she began. "It's so boring out there without any baddies to fight."

"…Or any Materia to steal." Leon added with a smirk, crossing the porch to join her at the table. "Frankly, we both needed a change of scenery. We've seen enough fighting to last two lifetimes."

Yuffie folded her arms with a huff. Wakka and Tidus started laughing and she cut them a "shut the hell up" glance, which they promptly heeded. The group of friends all began to gather and filter in to their seats. Riku had slid a chair out for Kairi, and she sat down flashing him a bright smile. He promptly took a seat next to her and turned to greet Leon, who was seated next to him. Sora had taken a seat across from them, Tidus and Wakka sitting on either side of him and continuing to talk his ear off. There were all kinds of foods to choose from, and everyone graciously filled their plates. They all clamored on in their own conversations, and Sora went from person to person regaling them with "war stories". Kairi kept glancing over to Sora now and then, checking his face for any signs of the repressed emotion she had seen so briefly before, but saw nothing but the carefree and joyful Sora she had grown up with.

Sora had been enjoying the company of so many friends; this was long overdue for him. Riku had excused himself from the table earlier and sidled up behind Kairi, placing his hands on her bare shoulders and leaning down to whisper something against the shell of her ear. Kairi's fingers were absently tracing circles across Riku's hand. Suddenly, she let out a giggle, gripped his wrist and gently pulled him down, placing a soft kiss on his lips that they held for a moment. Sora caught a glimpse of this out of the corner of his eye, and a lump formed in his throat. He quietly excused himself from the table, slid his chair in, and walked off down the beach. No one had really paid it any mind except for Tidus and Wakka; they shared that same wordless glance they had earlier in the day. Tidus cleared his throat, getting Riku's attention, and cocked his head to the side, gesturing towards Sora. Kairi noticed that Sora was gone and a look of worry crossed her face. Riku squeezed her shoulder lightly to get her attention, and gave her a smile, as if to say "I'll go talk to him". Kairi half-smiled as Riku walked down the beach after the returning hero.

When Riku arrived, he saw Sora sitting on the beach just inches from the lapping waves on the shoreline, his arms draped lazily over his knees and gazing up to the stars. The full moonlight was making his eyes almost glow in the dark. Without saying a word, Riku had sat down next to him and mimicked his posture. He looked to Sora, then dipped his gaze downward, hanging his head and took a deep breath.

"Sora…" Riku started, his voice gentle and calm. "Are you alright?"

"Sure thing." Sora said with a smile, turning to face Riku. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Look…I never wanted to do this to you…neither of us did…I know how much you…"

"Riku, please…" Sora held up a hand to cut him off. "You have nothing to apologize for."

Riku's gaze shot up. _Nothing to apologize for_? The words nearly knocked him unconscious.

"I've been gone for a long time now…" Sora continued. "I didn't expect Kairi to wait forever. I see the way she smiles around you. She's _happy_, Riku. That's all I care about. It's all I've _ever_ cared about. And it's not like she found some random guy to be with, either. If it was anyone other than me to spend their life with Kairi, I would pick you a hundred times over."

Riku blinked a few times, his mouth gaping open. This was _Kairi_ we were talking about here! The same Kairi that Sora had gone through hell to bring back from the clutches of darkness. The same Kairi that Sora had had a secret crush on ever since they were kids.

"Wow…" Riku said, at a loss for words. "I half expected you to kick my head in…"

Sora laughed, playfully poking Riku in the ribs with his elbow. Riku fell over, catching himself on one hand and began to laugh as well. There was nothing fake or misleading in Sora's voice. The smile on his face showed that what he was telling Riku was genuine, evern if Riku didn't entirely believe his friend. Once he was completely assured that Sora was truly okay, Riku stood, brushed himself off, and went back to rejoin the group. Sora, however, remained behind, his gaze returning skyward.

Riku arrived back at the table and sat down. Kairi seemed somewhat shocked that he had returned so quickly. The others weren't able to hear what was being said between the two of them, but it wasn't too long afterwards That Kairi had excused herself from the table and walked down the beach herself. It wasn't that she didn't trust Riku, she just didn't believe that Sora was as "fine" as he had told Riku he was.

Sora immediately snapped to his feet as if by instinct as Kairi padded quietly across the sand. The moonlight silhouetted her small frame beautifully. Her cranberry-red hair had grown to shoulder length and was flowing lazily in the breeze. She was wearing a dark red tubetop and a pair of cutoff shorts, showing off her milky white skin. She looked angelic and at the same time there was a look of profound worry on her face. Sora couldn't help but smile widely, trying to bury the burning sensation in his skin as she approached and that familiar scent filled his nostrils. She stopped short of him and wrung her hands together nervously.

"Sora…" she started, her voice soft and apprehensive. "We need to talk."

Sora nodded, reclaiming his perch in the sand, patting the ground next to him. Steadily, she lowered herself to sit next to him.

"What's up?" Sora said simply, staring out into the ocean.

"Riku said you were fine…I just wanted to make sure…"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Sora asked.

"On the beach earlier, after you saw the ring on my finger…I looked into your eyes…you looked…broken."

"It was just a shock is all…" Sora said, his voice slightly wavering, the smile beginning to fade.

Kairi let out a long sigh and looked over at him. This was Sora…he deserved an explanation.

"After you had been gone for so long, I feared the worst. When you didn't come home…I thought…" Kairi choked on her words but continued nonetheless. "I was devastated…Riku…he was there to comfort me…"

Sora nodded. "I know, Kai. I should have been there for you…but I…" he swallowed, trying to dislodge the lump in his throat.

"You had a mission to complete…I understand, Sora, I really do…" Kairi said reassuringly, placing her hand on his arm. He was wearing a thick black hoodie, several sizes too big, but he could feel the warmth of her touch pouring in to him and his tensed muscles began to unwind.

"I've missed so much…birthdays, holidays...the good times, the bad times…I should have been here." Sora's gaze was sad, his glowing blue eyes growing dim.

"No one blames you for what you did…what you had to do, Sora…least of all me. I just…I know before you left, we…and then me and Riku…it just kind of happened."

"Are you happy?" Sora said plainly.

"Wh…what?" Kairi was taken aback by his words. There was a sadness in his voice peppered with compassion.

"Are you happy, Kairi? Does Riku make you happy?"

Kairi took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"He does, Sora…and I do love him."

That little four-letter word burned Sora to the core. He couldn't help but be a jealous, it was only natural. He and Riku had been competing for her attention since they were kids, and now, he had won.

"As long as you are happy, Kairi, then so am I…just like I told Riku."

"Then why do you seem so sad?" She had fisted her hand into the thick sleeve of his hoodie, her knuckles growing white. She had to know what it was that pained him so greatly.

"I'm not sad…I just feel like there's a lot I've missed out on." Sora said, slowly shifting his gaze from her grip on his arm to looking her in the eyes. He smiled that Sora smile of his, a bit of glow returning to his eyes. "Here you are, about to get married…and me…I've never even been on a date."

Sora's words opened a world of realization in Kairi's eyes. Life had moved on without Sora…everyone had moved on without him. All those worlds out there needed him and he gave everything he had to them without a thought of himself, but out of everything he had given, he had nothing to show for it. Kairi smiled at him, making his heart melt.

"Sora, you're the Keybearer." Kairi said matter-of-factly. "Everyone knows what you've been doing all this time. You're a hero! You could have your pick of any girl you wanted!"

Kairi's words turned his melted heart into shards of ice. He turned his gaze away from her sharply, bit his lip, and took a deep sharp breath.

"I don't want just any girl, Kairi." Sora said sharply, his tone something Kairi had never heard in him before. "I want y…"

Kairi blinked, taken aback by his sudden change of tone. Sora shook his head, calming himself before he continued.

"Nevermind…" Sora said quietly, his voice suddenly void of emotion. "Dating is the last thing on my mind right now."

With that he stood and brushed himself off, Kairi's fingers unraveling from his sleeve. Without saying anything further, he walked down the beach to rejoin the rest of the group. Kairi soon stood up and just stared at the ocean for a moment.

_What was that all about?_ She asked herself. _Is he so used to doing things for others that he cares nothing about his _own_ happiness?_

Kairi's mind wandered to what he had said…_I want y…_

"Y…Yu…" Kairi was trying to finish his sentence out loud. "Yu…ffie?"

_That had to be it…_ She thought. She had seen the way Sora had rushed over to her back at the bistro. It made sense! Yuffie was a warrior, just like Sora. If anyone knew what was going on with him, how to comfort him and show him that the world hadn't completely forgotten him, it would be her. The wheels began to turn in Kairi's head, and a smile crossed her lips as she thought of how she could set them up.

Sora had collected his bag and re-slung it over his shoulder. The group all knew he had had enough excitement for one day, so they all began to go their separate ways. Riku noticed that Kairi hadn't followed him back from the beach and was a bit worried. He knew his friend had to be in a fragile state already; what if talking with Kairi had further broken him? The thought swam in his head for a moment before Kairi had caught up to him, smiling somewhat mischievously. She wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning up on her tiptoes to kiss him gently.

"What is it?" Riku asked. "Everything OK?"

"Everything's fine, babe," Kairi said with a grin. "I just have a little something I have to talk to Yuffie about."

"Yuffie?" Riku asked with a puzzled look on his face.

Kairi nodded, leaning up to whisper in his ear about the revelation she just had; this didn't help the puzzled look on Riku's face. Riku knew better; he knew Sora had to be broken-hearted, but he also knew that the Keybearer was a lot stronger than most people gave him credit for. He also knew that Kairi could be a bit…oblivious at times. Even if Sora did have his heart set on Yuffie, Riku knew that he was settling…and he hated himself for it.

**The plot thickens! Keep in mind, that I've had the idea of the middle and end of this story in my head for a while, but the build-up may take a chapter or two to get there. Bear with me, the best is yet to come.**


	3. Unexpected

**A/N: Chapter 3 is finished, not much else to say here. Read & review.**

_A hot shower and a good night's sleep in my own bed._ Sora thought to himself as he approached the front steps to his house.

Sora's home was tucked neatly away on a secluded stretch of beach, with a plain view of the other islands and beaches from his private little shore around back. The house itself was cozy, more than big enough for Sora. The out-of-the-way setting was just what he needed right now. He opened the door, stepping into the threshold. He never bothered locking it; his friends always kept an eye on the place while he was gone, keeping it neat and tidy, and occasionally staying the night when they needed a place to get away (not to mention a place where they could stay up all night partying without disturbing the neighbors). He flicked on the switch of a nearby lamp, dimly illuminating the living room, and closed the door behind him. The inside of the house was all peaceful off-whites and dark stained wood floors. It never really looked like anyone had lived there, and that was just the way Sora wanted it; he hated clutter.

Stepping into the doorway of his room, Sora flung his bag onto the bed and immediately went into the bathroom, closing the door quietly behind him. After spending what seemed like hours relishing the feel of the shower, not having to worry about the hot water running out or leaving any for anyone else, Sora dried off, slipped on a pair of loose-fitting black pajama bottoms, and turned to look at himself in the mirror. He looked almost skeletal, all lean muscle and protruding bones from his time as the Keybearer. His face had even become defined, showing his cheekbones and his angular jaw line. He smiled, shook his head, and walked into his bedroom, collapsing back onto his bed. He thought sleep would come easy, but he spent a moment staring up at the ceiling. Coming home after so long almost seemed surreal, and seeing his two best friends engaged and in love had stirred jealousy in his heart. He never would admit it, just as he had never admitted to Kairi how much he cared for her…how much he loved her. Now it was too late and Sora was kicking himself for it. Part of him was angry at himself for not having the courage to tell her before, part of him was happy that his two oldest and dearest friends had found happiness while he was away, and a small part of him hated the Keyblade and whatever fate had decided that he should be the one to wield it. Again, Sora pushed the thoughts from his mind, and drifted into sleep. It was the only place he could have everything he wanted, and everything he didn't. His dreams were all he had left.

Sora's eyes shot open with a start. His pulse was rapid and thundering against his chest. He slowly rose from the bed, dragged himself to the bathroom, flipped on the light, and went immediately to the sink. He turned on the cold water, cupped his hands underneath the flow, and splashed the water on his face a few times before slowly lifting his gaze to stare at himself in the mirror. The reflection in the mirror grinned evilly at him, and its eyes shifted from calm blue to burning amber. There was a small spot of what looked like black ink on Sora's cheek. He tried to wipe it off, but to no avail; the black spot began to spread, coating every inch of his body until he was washed out completely in pitch darkness. Without warning, the reflection hauled back, punched straight through the mirror and grabbed Sora around the throat, pulling him inside. An evil, booming voice came from nowhere.

"I told you once, Keybearer…the closer you get to your light, the bigger your shadow becomes…"

Sora sprung upright, sitting up in his bed and panting heavily, his body covered in droplets of cold sweat. He immediately dove from the bed and ran to the bathroom to check his reflection. He looked completely normal, save for the fact that he seemed scared half to death.

_Only a dream…_ Sora thought to himself, taking a series of deep breaths to calm himself.

Once his heart rate returned to normal, Sora crawled back into his bed and pulled the covers up tight around him. He had no idea what the dream was about, but he knew it wasn't good. Was he risking going back to the darkness just by being here? Was being so close to Kairi and knowing he couldn't have her going to push him over the edge? Sora closed his eyes tightly, trying to silence his racing mind. Eventually, he did fall back asleep, and though he had a few dreams here it was not enough to wake him.

It was easily mid afternoon before Sora opened his eyes. He hadn't slept like that in what seemed like years, even though the nightmare had woken him earlier in the night. In the distance he could hear a soft thumping sound. Rubbing his eyes he sat up straight and heard the noise again, only a little louder this time followed by a soft, indistinct voice. Sora decided it had to be coming from the front door; no one else lived nearby that could be making such a racket. He lazily lumbered out of the bedroom and towards the front door, moving like a zombie. He reached for the knob, pulled the door open, and shielded his eyes from the sun. There was a soft giggle as Sora rubbed his eyes to try and get them to focus.

"Morning, sunshine! Or should I say 'afternoon'?"

"Yuffie?" Sora asked groggily. "Issat you?"

Yuffie stepped forward, partially inside the threshold, making her face come in to focus for Sora.

"Rough night last night?" She asked with a bit of a laugh, although there was a touch of concern to it.

"You could say that…" Sora said with a loud yawn. "What brings you by?"

Yuffie shifted from foot to foot, holding her hands behind her back.

"I was wondering if you'd want to hang out with me today." She said pointedly.

"Uh…" Sora was a bit taken aback for a moment, then flashed her his patented smile. "Sure, sounds like fun!"

"Great!" Yuffie said with a warm smile. "I'll pick you up in an hour."

She turned on her heel to walk away, then peeked over her shoulder with a grin.

"By the way, Sora…nice PJs!" She added before walking down the beach.

Sora's mouth gaped open; he looked down, realizing that he had answered the door in nothing but his pajama bottoms, and felt his face flush with a bright red tint.

Sora got ready for his date with Yuffie, his emotions a mix of excitement and apprehension. He had never been on a date before so he tried to look nice without overdoing it. He threw on a pair of loose black slacks, a wine red dress shirt un-tucked with the top few buttons undone, and sleeves rolled up just below his elbows. He tried to gel his hair down to make it less unruly, but to no avail. A knock came from the front door, and Sora did one more check in the mirror before running to get the door. He stopped short of the door, took a deep breath, and opened it slowly. Yuffie was standing in the doorway, her head cocked slightly to the side and smiling beautifully. She was wearing a black velour mini dress with lacy straps hanging loosely on her bare shoulders, framing her curves beautifully. Tied around her waist was a rose pink satin ribbon, which complimented the dress perfectly.

"Ready to go?" She asked sweetly.

Sora stood there for a moment; he didn't realize that he had been staring since the moment he opened the door. The girl standing before him was completely different from the confident warrior he had met all those years ago. No doubt she looked beautiful right now, and Sora felt fortunate to be going out on a date with her. A part of him felt guilty; there was no doubt he still cared deeply for Kairi and felt like he was doing her a disservice by going on a date with Yuffie. The other part of him urged Sora that he deserved this, that he deserved to be happy. Ultimately, the latter half of him won; he grinned at her from ear to ear, nodded, and shut the door behind him.

They walked down the beach for a while and had stopped at a coffee shop just down the way from Sora's house. Sora was still trying to shake off the cobwebs of his late sleep, a fact that Yuffie was all too happy to razz him for. Afterwards, they went to see a zombie movie at the local theater, which they both agreed upon oddly enough. The acting was terrible, which they spared no effort in making fun of. Yuffie's stomach started to rumble following the movie, so they found a quiet Japanese restaurant to dine at for the night. There were several eyes on them throughout the night; there were girls gazing at the Keybearer and flashing Yuffie glares of jealousy. To any unsuspecting person, they looked like the perfect couple, like they had been doing this for years. After finishing up dinner, they decided to walk back to Sora's private little beach. Sora had laid out a couple of towels for them on the sand, and they sat, gazing out into the ocean. The moon was casting a spotlight on the two of them, and reflecting off of the surface of the water like shards of glass. They sat for a while, just talking about their respective pasts and the experiences Sora had during his absence. For the first time in a while, Sora felt completely comfortable. Then, Yuffie turned to him and took his hand in hers. Sora met her eyes, and saw something sad in them. He gripped her hand just a bit tighter.

"Yuffie, what is it?" Sora asked, concerned for his fellow warrior.

"Sora…why did you agree to go on this date with me?" She asked softly.

"I…" Sora sighed a bit and lowered his gaze. "To be honest, I've never been on a date before."

"You had been waiting, right? For her?" Yuffie said pointedly. "For Kairi?"

Sora's eyes widened for a moment then he nodded, looking back at her.

"I knew it." Yuffie said. "Kairi came up to me today and said I should ask you out…that you wanted to go out with me. I was a bit shocked, I'll admit. I never thought that you saw me that way."

Suddenly Sora felt like the world's biggest jackass. After such a beautiful day with Yuffie, he couldn't lie to her; he had to be completely honest, as she had always been with him.

"I'm sorry Yuffie. I never wanted to give you the wrong impression." Sora took a deep breath. "Last night, I was talking to Kairi on the beach. She told me that I could be with anyone I wanted, and I told her…I started to tell her…'I don't want anyone else, I want you'…but I cut myself off before I could finish. She must have thought…"

Sora's eyes lowered again and his voice cracked.

"God, I'm sorry Yuffie." He said.

Yuffie gripped his hand tighter and placed a finger under his chin, lifting his gaze to meet hers.

"Don't be, Sora," she said with a warm smile. "I'm not. I had a great time tonight. I love Kairi to death but sometimes she's kinda…well, dense! If she didn't have her goo-goo Riku blinders on right now, she'd see how much you cared for her, how much you've missed her…how much you love her. How she's _never_ managed to see it, I'll never know. But she's a fool for not waiting for you."

Sora smiled, touched by his friend's honesty. It was refreshing to have a friend like Yuffie who understood the wave of emotion going through him. She leaned forward, gave him a soft kiss, and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I know we see each other as friends, Sora," Yuffie started. "But I'll be here for you, as much as you need me."

Sora wrapped his arms tightly around Yuffie, returning her embrace.

"Thank you, Yuffie…for everything. You've done more for me today than you realize." Sora said, the tremendous weight in his voice lifted.

The two of them said their goodbyes for the night. Yuffie was sure that Kairi would feel proud of herself for playing matchmaker, and Yuffie would do nothing to burst her little bubble, at least not yet. She and Sora had had a wonderful night, and Yuffie couldn't be happier for that.

Sora had made his way up to his doorstep, feeling light as a feather. In an instant, the feeling of the night was shattered as he looked upon what was waiting for him. The color drained from his face, and his glassy eyes looked about ready to shatter in their sockets.

Fastened to his door at eye level was a folded piece of parchment, bearing the seal of King Mickey.


	4. Turnabout

**A/N: Thanks for the R&Rs everyone! I'm glad that you like the story so far. Trying to update as quickly as possible; I can't wait to get to the meat and bones of this story. A quick note, I updated chapter 1 to reflect that Sora had been gone for three years instead of two (tried to update this earlier and just realized that the update didn't take). On to Chapter 4!**

"You have _got_ to be kidding me right now!" Tidus exclaimed, his voice clearly annoyed. "Tell me you're joking, Riku…"

Tidus and Wakka were sitting at a small table in the dining room of their apartment. Riku had joined them for a night of playing cards, although right now, he wished he hadn't.

"I wish I could, Tidus…" Riku replied, his voice solemn, as he tapped his cards on the table.

Tidus threw his hand down with a loud slap and shook his head, making Wakka jump out of his seat a little.

"And you just allowed this to happen without saying anything?" Tidus asked, a tone in his voice that his friends rarely heard.

"It's not that simple…" Riku started, his voice calm and somewhat cold. "You know how Kairi is."

Wakka glanced from Riku back to Tidus and reached a hand out for his friend.

"Tidus…let it go, ya?" Wakka said, trying to calm the situation down.

"No, Wakka, I will _not_ let it go!" Tidus was fuming by this point, his normally calm demeanor clearly shaken. "I've kept my mouth shut about this for three damn years! I could live with you and Kairi getting married, I mean…it was only natural that you two got as close as you did…but…Jesus, Riku! How could you let her set Sora up on a date with Yuffie?"

Riku lowered his gaze; he already felt terrible and Tidus wasn't making him feel much better.

"I don't know…" He started. "Kairi got it in her head that Sora had a thing for Yuffie…and when she gets an idea in her head…"

"Aw, horseshit!" Tidus howled, making everyone's eyes in the room widen. "You don't drop a bombshell like getting engaged on the guy and then set him up on a date! She may has well have ripped his heart out through his chest!"

Tidus took a deep relaxing breath, trying to calm himself down.

"Look, I'm sorry, man…it's just…Sora's my friend. He's been through a lot…I just don't want to see him hurt is all." Tidus said, plain and calm, before they went about their game.

Wakka looked on in disbelief. He had never seen Tidus or Riku so upset; he knew he had to do something to break the palpable tension in the room.

"Well, you know Riku..." He started with a grin. "You could always suggest a three-way to Sora..."

Tidus and Riku both stared at him then burst into laughter, chucking their cards at him playfully.

"Trust me Wakka," Riku said jokingly, yet pointedly. "Threesomes are _never_ a good idea!"

Sora sat on the couch in his living room in from of an oak coffee table, the folded parchment sitting directly in front of him. He was leaning forward, wringing his hands together in front of him, staring at the letter. How many times had he received just such a note whisking him off to some far-off location where the Keybearer was needed? He knew he had to open it eventually, but he didn't _want_ to! A part of him almost wanted to be summoned away again, just so he could be away from everything that greeted him when he came home. Maybe it would be for the best; maybe he _should_ leave, but the lump in his throat and the fire in his chest made his hesitant to do so. He buried his face in his hands, rubbing his eyes roughly, then took a deep breath and reached for the letter. He held his eyes shut tightly, broke the seal with his thumb, and slowly unfolded it. His right eye peeked open and read the first line of the letter, then both eyes shot opened and he let out a relieved sigh. The first paragraph was all he needed to see to know that he was safe…for now, anyway.

_Dear Sora,_

_I know that I am typically the bearer of bad news, but I can assure you, this letter bears nothing but good._

Sora continued reading; the letter described what had been happening at the castle since the end of their last mission. Daisy was pregnant with her and Donald's first child; the both of them were elated, and were already picking out names and decorating a nursery. After years of service to the royal family, he was stepping down as the court wizard. Goofy had made the decision to step down as the knight of King Mickey's court, which didn't surprise Sora at all. He thought Donald would have to be pulled away kicking and screaming, but Goofy was a different story. He hated fighting, he hated violence, and he was through and through a pacifist to his core. The only reason he'd fought alongside Sora in the first place was because King Mickey had asked him to; he was nothing if not loyal to his King. Mickey went on to say that there was no one lined up yet to replace them, and if this peace were to last, there would be no need to. Sora breathed a heavy sigh of relief and leaned back on the couch. King Mickey had made it official; the Trinity had been broken with no need or urgency to reassemble it. Perhaps this meant that Sora could finally begin to have a life outside of being the Keybearer. Sora leaned forward, reading the last line of the letter:

_Tell Riku that I received the invitation to his wedding to Kairi, and that myself and Queen Minnie would be delighted to attend. Please pass on to them my profound and sincere congratulations._

Sora read the last line out loud, his tone becoming darker as he did so. He crumpled up the letter furiously and threw it back down on the table. No words of thanks for Sora's innumerable sacrifices, no words of regret that he had missed out on so much, just congratulatory words for the union that had torn out Sora's heart. Sora sucked in a deep breath through his teeth, pushing the negativity from his mind. He had to get over the fact that Kairi had moved on, he had to realize just how happy she was and believe the words he had told Riku; as long as Kairi was happy, that was all that mattered. Searching for something positive to comfort his aching mind, Sora closed his eyes, reminding himself of the refreshingly wonderful evening he had with Yuffie; she seemed to be the only one lately that wasn't constantly reminding him of his pain. Smiling to himself, he went into his bedroom and was fast asleep within a matter of minutes; not a single nightmare plagued his mind tonight, and every inch of him hoped that would last.

Yuffie had agreed the day before that she would meet Kairi for coffee the next morning to give her all of the details about her date with Sora. Kairi was sitting in their usual private table seated next to the window, overlooking the hustle and bustle of the morning commute. This had been their favorite place to go nearly every morning to sit and talk about the events of their lives, and ever since Leon had started working here, a lot of their drinks had been free (as long as they tipped him well, of course). The single glass door at the entrance opened with a jingle as Yuffie strode in, grinning from ear to ear and waving to Leon as she slit into her chair. Leon sauntered over to their table with their usual order; a caramel macchiato for Kairi and a triple espresso for Yuffie, setting them down gently on the table in front of them, and then walked back behind the counter to serve the steadily growing line of customers.

"Well, good morning!" Kairi said excitedly. "So, how did it go? Tell me everything!"

Yuffie picked up her drink, the grin never leaving her face, and swirled it teasingly before taking a sip.

"Wonderful…" she said blissfully. "We had a great time. Sora was a perfect gentleman."

"Great…" Kairi said with a smile, taking a drink from her cup. "So what did you two do?"

"Went to a movie and out to dinner, you know, the usual." Yuffie said, intentionally tiptoeing around the details to pique Kairi's curiosity.

"Aaand…?" Kairi asked.

"And what?" Yuffie answered with a puzzled look on her face. "That was pretty much it. We hung out back at Sora's place for a little while and talked for a while."

"Just _talked_?" Kairi said teasingly with a bit of a giggle.

"Yeaahhh…" Yuffie said, still intentionally stringing Kairi along. "Oh, I did get to see Sora with his shirt off!"

Yuffie made a purring sound in her throat and giggled, taking another sip of her coffee. She glanced down at her watch and nearly sprayed Kairi with a mouthful of espresso.

"Oh crap! I'm going to be so late!" Yuffie exclaimed, jumping up out of her seat and snatching up her cup. "I'll call you later, OK?"

Before Kairi could answer, Yuffie was taking off in a blur out the door and running hurriedly down the sidewalk. Kairi laughed, took another long drink, and set her cup down smiling triumphantly to herself. Then, as she sat, the smile faded from her face and she suddenly had a look of sadness where it had once been. She was happy that Yuffie had had such an amazing time with Sora, she truly couldn't think of anything the two of them deserved more…so why did she feel so miserable?

**This chapter was shorter compared to some of the others, but I wanted to add a little in-between character development. I felt it necessary to give Tidus his own little moment, just to give him a few endearing qualities. There is also a sense of Sora getting continually "mind-f**ked" in this story, but just remember, every hero has his day...the best is yet to come.**


	5. The Reluctant Goodbye

**A/N: Onward to Chapter 5. Enjoy, and as always, please read and review.**

Three months had passed since Sora had received the letter from King Mickey. He had slowly begun to pick up the pieces and move on with his life, even beginning to live a little as he tried to make up for lost time. The heartbreak of losing Kairi to Riku had begun to subside; at least that's what it looked like to everyone on the outside looking in. In reality, there was a scar on Sora's heart that he prayed would go away. Until it did, Sora was content to bury the feelings deep inside and go on. He had landed a job working at the same out-of-the-way bistro that his friends had taken him to for his return celebration; it was quiet, and few people who frequented the restaurant recognized him as the Keybearer, which suited him just fine. He still regularly hung out with Yuffie; the two of them were practically inseparable, although neither one pressured the other into developing their relationship beyond close friends. There were a few times they had even double-dated with Riku and Kairi, which had been awkward at first. Yuffie, however, was just what Sora needed in order to help him forget. The nightmare that woke him his first night home had become a recurring one, making Sora wonder if he would ever truly be free from the fate of the hero. Eventually, he was able to bury that as well.

After the fervor of their engagement had died down, Riku and Sora began to rebuild their friendship, and quickly became best friends again. Gone was the fiercely competitive rival; in his place was someone gentle and compassionate and devoid of any previous darkness. Riku had even, albeit a bit reluctantly, asked Sora to be his best man; an honor that Sora graciously accepted. The arrangement worked out rather well for Riku; he had absolutely zero fashion sense, and Sora's was always impeccable. Tidus and Wakka were set to be his groomsmen, and much like Sora, Tidus' sour feelings towards the union had been suppressed in favor of his friends' happiness.

Kairi kept busy by handling the majority of the wedding arrangements with the help of her bridesmaids; Yuffie and Selphie. She still couldn't shake the feeling of regret for setting up Yuffie and Sora, but she also felt a sense of relief seeing how happy they made each other. Never once did she again see the heartbroken look in Sora's eyes, although in some respects, she was much too busy to notice. When her and Riku did double-date with Sora and Yuffie, on occasion, she pictured herself with the Keybearer and wondered how things may have turned out differently had he never left.

Life had finally returned to normal on Destiny Island, or at least as close as it could get.

Maybe that's why no one saw it coming…

Sora was walking home along the beach on a night where the moon was absent from the sky, the stars etching a map of faint light across the pitch blackness of the sky. He and Yuffie were walking arm-in-arm, his thick oversized hoodie hanging over her shoulders as the night air had a crisp chill to it. They were talking back and forth, laughing and smiling brightly at one another. Sora approached his door, seeing the silhouette of what looked like a letter fastened to it, and a lump formed in his throat. Yuffie looked at the wounded expression on his face, then to the letter on his door and wrapped her fingers warmly around his shoulder.

"C'mon, Sora," she said soothingly, snatching the letter from the door. "It'll be OK. I'll read it with you."

She so understood his pain, his apprehension, that he couldn't help but feel a bit of relief wash over him. He wondered what he did to deserve such a gentle soul as his friend. Smiling, he opened the door and followed her inside.

The light of Sora's house revealed the letter to be exactly what Sora feared; a tri-folded piece of parchment bearing the royal crest of King Mickey. Yuffie sat down on the couch, patting the cushion next to her, and Sora slumped down in the seat next to her. She handed him the letter, and as he looked at it, he couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"What is it?" Yuffie asked.

"The last time he sent me one of these it turned out to be nothing…" Sora said hopefully.

Yuffie grabbed Sora's hand, intertwining her fingers with his, the warmth of her touch soothing him. Sora broke the seal of the letter and opened it up. Yuffie could tell there wasn't much to the letter, maybe a couple of lines at most. She watched Sora's face as he read it, his eyes darting across the paper, and then he was still. She had to shake him to make sure he was still alive; Sora was statuesque and barely breathing. Finally, he dipped his head with his eyes closed, and the muscles in his back and shoulders wound visibly into knots.

"Son of a bitch…" Sora said under his breath.

Yuffie was shocked to hear him swear, she _never_ heard him swear. She plucked the letter from Sora's loose grip, her eyes quickly scanning the neatly-printed words.

_Sora,_

_Your immediate presence is required at Disney Castle. A Gummi Ship will arrive to pick you up promptly tomorrow morning._

_Respectfully,_

_King Mickey_

Yuffie's mouth gaped open, her hands beginning to shake.

"No…" she said, barely audible.

Sora didn't say a word, he couldn't. He simply rose to his feet, went in to his bedroom, and came back out with the small bag slung over his shoulder.

"You can't be serious, Sora." Yuffie started, her voice cracking. "Not again…"

Sora hung his head, his eyes hidden behind locks of chocolate-brown hair.

"What choice do I have, Yuffie…what choice have I _ever_ had?" His voice was quiet, sad, and somewhat mechanical.

Yuffie crossed the room, wrapping her arms around him tightly, tears flowing freely from her clenched eyelids. Sora's arms slowly lifted to wrap around her; he was trembling but trying to be strong and rigid. Suddenly, he collapsed into her arms weightlessly, shedding a few tears of his own.

All of Sora's friends had gathered at the beach, looking somber and not quite sure of what to say. Sora stood with his back to them, eyes skyward, searching for any words of comfort he could offer them. The silence was deafening, as if the world itself had stopped dead in its tracks. He had offered them all his good-byes, although they seemed hollow and empty. Sora had done this countless times before, but this time felt different, and they all felt it, too. It felt like this time, he wouldn't be coming back…and for all they or Sora knew, he wouldn't. One by one, they left the shore, not wanting to see him leave again. The first of which was Kairi, who was hiding the fact from everyone that she was about to fall apart. Then Selphie, Leon, Wakka, and Tidus all filtered off until only Yuffie and Riku remained. Yuffie had said everything she needed to the night before, as had Sora. She wanted desperately to go with him, but knew that she couldn't. Trying to maintain her warrior's posture, she turned and left, waiting until she was out of everyone's sight to fall to her knees in uncontrollable sobs.

Riku knew that his friend needed him to be strong, needed him to be a rock against the crashing tide of Sora's emotions. He had sidled up next to Sora, unsure of quite what to say to him.

"I need you to do something for me, Riku." Sora said plainly.

"Anything…just name it." Riku replied.

"I need you to protect her. I need you to keep her safe."

They stood silently as Riku tried to understand what exactly he was saying. The hum of the Gummi Ship's engines broke the silence and came to hover low above the sand, kicking up a wave of wind and dust that swirled around them like an impenetrable wall for a moment before dying down.

"I promise, Sora…nothing will happen to Yuffie while you're gone." Riku said reassuringly.

Sora walked up to the Gummi Ship, and stopped to look over his shoulder at him.

"Yuffie can take care of herself…" Sora said simply before boarding the ship, leaving Riku to read between the lines.

The Gummi Ship rose into the sky and was gone in a flash of light. Riku realized all too well what Sora had meant; he knew Yuffie could take anything thrown at her, and she would. Sora's concern was for Kairi; maybe it was the last bit of love he had for her, but Riku knew that if anything happened to her while he was gone, the Sora he knew would simply cease to exist. Sora's words to Riku were as much a warning as it was a plea, and Riku knew it.

Sora walked into the courtyard to the overpowering scent of jasmine and lilac. He wasn't really sure what exactly he was doing here, and part of him really didn't care. A part of him wanted to tear out the King's throat for once again pulling him away from his life. Even so, part of him was glad to be back; he was ready to get back into battle and work out some of his pent-up aggression. As King Mickey approached, Sora saw dark circles under his bloodshot eyes; it looked like he hadn't slept in days or like he had just been through hell. He looked like Sora. His voice was broken and cracked as he spoke.

"I'm sorry to call you back so soon, Sora, but we have a dire situation here…" Mickey explained.

"What is it, Majesty? You look terrible…" Sora asked, his anger and frustration fading into genuine concern.

"Deep Jungle…it was just destroyed…"

"Destroyed? What do you mean?"

"The plants, the animals, every speck of sentient life…the planet itself…" Mickey explained. "It's all gone."

Sora's eyes widened and his mouth fell agape.

_What the hell could have done such a thing?_ He asked himself, not sure if even he wanted the answer.

The Trinity was disbanded, and with what Sora had been going through since he returned home, he wasn't about to expect Donald and Goofy to once again risk their lives, even if King Mickey asked them to…even if he _ordered_ them to. As far as Sora was concerned, he was doing this alone.

Such was the fate of the Keybearer...


	6. The Coming Darkness

**A/N: Now comes the fun part, the part of this story I've been looking forward to writing. There are a lot of trials ahead for our hero that will change him forever. On to Chapter 6.**

_The air was still and quiet, and at the same time dark and foreboding. The vegetation was the first to perish; plants and trees that had stood for centuries became ashen and withered, crumbling to the earth. Then, rivers and waterfalls dried up, simply erasing themselves from existence. The vast population of animals fell to the ground, gasping for air, a look of impending doom in their eyes. They instantly began to emaciate; their skin wrinkling and withering, muscles caving in on themselves, eyes and organs turning to blackness. All that was left were their bones, until they too crumbled to dust. Thousands of voices cried in agonizing terror before the planet itself collapsed in on itself, imploding into nothingness, leaving a dark and empty void where it had once stood so proudly._

Sora sat straight up in his bed, drenched in cold sweat, and his heart thundering inside his chest. The nightmarish vision of the end of an entire world pounded in his head, the pain and suffering of an entire population eating away at his very soul. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, burying his face in his hands and rubbing his temples soothingly.

_Was that what it's like…to die?_ He wondered before getting to his feet to get dressed.

Sora made the long walk down the plush burgundy carpet leading to King Mickey's throne. The King didn't look much better than he had earlier, but the dark circles under his eyes had vanished and it appeared that he had at very least gotten some rest. Standing like a silent statue next to him was a tall man enveloped entirely in a flowing silver cloak, his head bowed and his face obscured by the drawn hood. As Sora approached, he bowed respectfully to King Mickey.

"We need to act fast," King Mickey started. "We cannot allow this to happen to any other worlds."

"I agree," Sora said. "But where do we start? Do we even know who, or what, we're dealing with here?"

King Mickey shook his head.

"We can't be entirely certain right now…" Mickey answered. "We have scouts scouring the galaxy looking for answers. For the time being, we must be patient and allow them to do their jobs."

"Of course, Majesty. Whatever the threat, I'll be ready to face it."

"Sora…you won't be going alone."

Sora clenched his fist; he was ready for Mickey to tell him that Donald and Goofy would be going with him, and he was ready to respectfully tell King Mickey to "shove it".

"Relax…I have respected the wishes of Donald and Goofy to not include them in this conflict." King Mickey said, sensing Sora's tension.

"Then who…?" Sora began, but was cut off by a voice not far behind him.

"Hello, Sora. Good to see you again." The voice was calm, confident, and a little cold.

Sora turned on his heel and looked over at the voice behind him, his face a mix of shock and relief.

"Good to see you again, too, Cloud." Sora replied.

Cloud Strife, a warrior not unlike Sora whom he had met for the first time years ago, approached him. Gone was the shrouded and pained soul he had been previously. His face was completely uncovered, and he was clad simply in the SOLDIER uniform he had worn underneath his layers of darkness. The two of them shook hands in a sign of mutual respect for one another.

"Cloud will be accompanying you, along with this gentleman here." Mickey said, gesturing to the enshrouded man at his side. "He is filling in for Donald as the court magician."

The enigmatic sorcerer stepped forward, lifting his head slightly. His face was thin and angular, his skin pale and almost devoid of color. There were long trails of bluish lavender hair draped over his shoulders, pulled tight against his scalp. Through the hood of his cloak, Sora could see a pair of ruby-red eyes peeking out.

"And you are…?" Sora asked, trying to make out his face.

"You may call me…" he paused momentarily, as if thinking of a proper answer. "Exsul."

"Exsul?" Sora said, his voice having a tint of disbelief. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise, Keybearer…" Exsul said, his icy voice sending a shiver down Sora's spine.

Sora turned his attention back to King Mickey.

"With all due respect, Majesty…" Sora said, glancing over to Exsul. "And to you…I'm not sure I'm comfortable embarking on this mission with a complete stranger."

Exsul was not at all shocked by this; King Mickey had opened his mouth in protest, but Exsul raised a hand to silence him.

"Indeed, I am a stranger to you. However, the King brought me here because I am the closest link you have to finding the destructive force that claimed the Deep Jungle." He explained.

"And how might that be?" Cloud asked, his voice bearing the same skeptical tone that Sora's had.

"I am the lone survivor of a destroyed world…" Exsul explained, again lowering his head, and shadowing his features save for his mouth.

"Then…your world was destroyed, too…" Sora said sadly.

"…By the same unforgiving power you witnessed in your nightmare." Exsul continued.

Sora's eyes widened; how was this man, this _stranger_, able to know something like that?

"Yes, Sora…" Exsul began. "I know you experienced it. Such is the curse of being a Keybearer, so I'm told…the worlds you've sealed, the hearts you've touched…they are forever linked to you through the Keyblade. No doubt, that is why your friend here has decided to aid you."

"My reasons for being here are to settle a debt I owed to His Majesty," Cloud explained plainly. "He reunited me with my light after my world was destroyed. For that, I owed him a hundred lifetimes. And besides, I have a feeling Sora will need me on this one."

Sora's deep blue eyes sparkled; he had always looked up to Cloud, and to know that he had willingly come to his aid touched him.

"Then it's settled." King Mickey said, rising from his throne. "I entrust this new Trinity to you, Sora. Please, return to your rooms and await further instruction."

The King disappeared behind a large set of double doors, leaving the three of them standing in the throne room.

"I cannot expect you to trust me so easily," Exsul said, breaking the silence. "But I assure you that you will."

With that, the shrouded man disappeared down one of the castle's corridors. There was something calm and appeasing in Exsul's voice. Sora sensed no darkness in him, only a sadness that he never let the outside world see. He had within him the pain of loss, something deeper than having his world destroyed. Sora empathized with him all too well.

"Get some rest, Sora." Cloud said, turning to walk back to his room. "You look like hell."

"You have no idea, Cloud…" Sora replied as he walked away down the hallway he had entered from.

Cloud stopped dead in his tracks, looking over his shoulder and watching as the Keybearer disappeared from view. He wondered what happened to the happy-go-lucky boy he had met so long ago. In his place was this broken creature, weary not from battle, but nonetheless carrying a tremendous weight on his shoulders; he reminded Cloud of himself...the way Cloud had been when he and Sora met at Olympus Coliseum. He was no longer determined to find his light at any cost. In fact, it seemed as though his light was gone entirely.

Night had fallen upon the sterile white walls of the castle, and still, no word had come from any of King Mickey's scouts. Sora had taken to pacing back and forth in front of the door. Cloud had told him to get some rest, a thought that Sora found laughable at best. Sora flung himself down face first on the bed, burying his face in the pillows. He wanted to scream; waiting here for answers was worse than waiting at home hoping that King Mickey wouldn't summon him again. He turned around on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. Before Sora realized it, sleep had crept up on him like a stranger in the night.

_Sora was standing on the beach, overlooking the crashing waves of the ocean. The night was dark, and there was a chill air blowing steadily across the sand. In the distance was a tall figure, enshrouded in wispy entrails of darkness. Sora stepped slowly towards the figure, straining his eyes to try and make out who it was. A pale sliver of moonlight peeked out from behind the heavy clouds, offering only a glimpse of illumination. Sora could barely see tresses of shimmering silver hair, and pale-glowing green eyes almost completely hidden in the absence of light._

"_Riku?" Sora called, but the figure didn't answer. "Riku! Is that you?"_

_The figure lazily lifted his right arm, stretching skeleton-like fingers towards him with his palm facing downward. Suddenly, everything around Sora was pitch blackness save for the eerie green glow of the man's eyes. The air had become thick and stagnant, and Sora felt like he was going to choke. He reached around in the darkness, and something cold and unseen shot out, grabbing him hard around the wrist. He struggled to free himself to no avail, his eyes darting back and forth wildly. Out of nowhere, Sora was completely surrounded by fiercely-glowing amber eyes, slitted and evil. A scream in the distance jolted his attention._

"_Who's there?" Sora demanded._

_The scream came again, this time shattering through the solid blackness. Sora felt a lump in his throat; it was a woman's scream._

"_Kairi! Kairi, is that you? Please for the love of God, answer me!"_

_The screams came again and intensified, this time joined by the screams of several others, a veritable orchestra of pain and suffering. Sora couldn't hear himself shouting back over the screams, there were literally thousands of them. Then, in an instant, everything around Sora was engulfed in flames._

Sora lept from his bed as if on instinct and tore down the hallway like a bat out of hell. He was panting, gasping for air as if he had been held under water for too long; his face wash with terror. As he burst through the thick double doors of the throne room, he saw Cloud and Exsul standing there as well. Sora skidded to a halt, doubled over and desperately trying to catch his breath. He tried to speak, but his words came out broken and unrecognizable. Cloud rushed over to his side, placing a hand on his back, trying to calm him down. He had Sora take a few deep breaths and get his head on straight before asking him what happened.

"I…I had a nightmare again…I saw another world being wrapped in darkness, being torn apart…" Sora's voice was panicked and erratic.

"I saw it, too, Sora…" Exsul explained, peeking through the hood of his cloak. "Cloud and I both did."

"No…" Sora was trying to get something out through deep raspy breaths. "You don't understand…"

Cloud stood Sora upright, beckoning to him with his hand to calm down.

"What is it, Sora?" Cloud asked, seeing all too well the gripping fear in Sora's eyes.

"Destiny Islands…my home…my friends!" Sora explained vehemently.

Cloud's eyes widened and he shot a look over to Exsul; they had both seen the same thing Sora did, they just had no idea that it was his home. Exsul nodded to Cloud sharply, and Cloud turned back to face Sora.

"C'mon, let's go." Cloud said, his voice calm and reassuring.

Sora, Cloud, and Exsul all arrived at the dock of the Gummi Ship to a flurry of workers dashing back and forth hurriedly. King Mickey had tried to talk them out of leaving, following a vision without assurance that there was any present danger; but Sora wouldn't have it (and didn't hold back from politely telling the King to "shove it" this time around). This was his home, these were his friends…no, his family! How could he _not_ go to them, even if it _was_ nothing? A gravelly and familiar voice greeted them at the dock as they arrived, Sora and Cloud immediately recognizing the man it belonged to.

"Heading out already I see!" He said.

"Cid!" Cloud exclaimed, shaking his hand firmly. "Tell me you have good news. We could use some right now."

Cid Highwind stood triumphantly, hands on his hips, chewing on a toothpick with a big grin on his face.

"Take a look for yourself…" Cid said, gesturing to the ship docked just behind him.

It was a vast improvement over the previous models that Sora was used to; it was sleek-looking, jet-black, and its hull resembled something of a dragon, perched and ready to strike at a moment's notice. The perfect sight of an avenging angel to deliver them into battle.

"I call her _The Bahamut_. Ain't she a beaut?" He asked.

"Perfect." Sora said, stepping around him towards the craft. "Let's go."

"Whoooa…hold on there, high speed!" Cid said, slapping a hand on Sora's shoulder to stop him. "_I'm _flying this thing, not you."

Sora looked back at him somewhat annoyed, but with a sense of alarming urgency in his glowing eyes.

"Alright, I get it; we're in a hurry…" Cid said. "All aboard!"

The trio followed Cid onto the ship. Within moments, the imposing vessel sprang to life, lifting off of the docking clamps. The doors to the dock slid open with a mechanical whirr, the engine fired up, and in a blinding flash of light and speed, they were gone.

Sora had planted himself firmly by the door, staring out the porthole at the stars as they streaked by in lines of shimmering white. He never believed much in prayer, until now; he was silently praying to himself that his friends were safe. He bowed his head, and made an unspoken vow that if they were in any sort of danger…if they had been harmed, or worse…he would stop at nothing to hunt down those responsible.

This _had _to end...


	7. Inferno

**A/N: For the love of all that you hold dear, do NOT read this chapter if you haven't read the previous ones! It will completely ruin the story. There isn't much I can say about this chapter except for that; you'll just have to read it for yourself. And, of course, review (or no soup for you!).**

The atmosphere aboard _The Bahamut_ was tense to say the least. No one said a word to each other; they were all silently fearing the worst and hoping for the best. As they slowly lowered through the thick black clouds of the night sky, what greeted them turned the blood in the Keybearer's veins to ice. Sora hadn't averted his gaze from the porthole the entire flight, and now, his eyes were glazed in disbelief. Pressing a hand to the window, all he could do was look on as the ship descended. The once peaceful surface was pockmarked by blazing fires, spewing the thick black for into the air. They were everywhere, making the islands look like a map of stars. Sora's fist was clenched tight; he had hoped with everything in him that everyone was safe. The Gummi Ship began to hover directly over where Sora had made his latest departure, beginning a slow descent to land.

"Cid, keep the engine's running." Cloud said over his shoulder. "Sora…Sora! No!"

Sora couldn't wait a minute longer. They were still a good distance above the beach, but he didn't care what happened to him at this point; he was completely fueled by pumping adrenaline and the look-before-leaping instinct that he had relied on his entire time as the wielder of the Keyblade. The side door cracked open with a loud hiss, and before Cloud and Exsul could stop him, Sora had dove out head first. He tucked his chin and in one fluid motion rolled forward as he hit the sand, springing to his feet and drawing his weapon as he ran towards the center of the island. Exsul and Cloud exchanged glances before they followed him out the door, allowing the ship to drop a few more feet before doing so. Cloud landed in a crouch, placing a hand out to brace himself, with the other hand grabbing the handle of his Buster Sword. Exsul was right next to him in a freefall until he was just a few feet from the sand, floating down harmlessly until his feet touched the ground. He had an elegant-looking white staff clutched in his hand, adorned with a serpentine dragon wrapped around the top. Without saying a word, the two of them ran after Sora as quickly as they could.

Sora was running as fast as his feet would allow him, eyes darting back and forth. There was nothing in sight; no Heartless, no threats, no friends…the place was deserted. He came to a wide open clearing, and that's when his heart sank deep into his gut. There was what looked like several people crouched or sitting in the sand in a circle, though he couldn't make out who they were. One of the nearby flames shifted slightly in the wind, offering a brief silhouette of what they were all crouched around; faint wisps of shoulder length silver hair spread across the sand.

_Riku!_ Sora thought. He immediately took off running, his eyes slowly adjusting to the dark of the night. As he got closer, he could make out the faces of Leon and Yuffie, then Tidus and Wakka. They were all clearly on edge and spun around in his direction as if startled and ready to pounce, then relaxed when they saw his glowing blue eyes approaching.

"Sora! Oh, thank God…" Yuffie said, exasperated, as she flung her arms around him.

Sora scooped an arm around her waist to steady her, then looked from friend to friend with a somber expression on his face. Wakka looked about to pass out at any given moment, his right arm hanging lifelessly at his side. Tidus had Wakka's left arm draped across his shoulders, straining to support Wakka's weight. His left eye was swollen shut and he had a deep, angry gash caking the left side of his face in blood. Leon was down on one knee, resting his arm on the pommel of his Gunblade, his face expressionless and sucking in deep breaths as if his life depended on it. Sora's mouth hung open as he took in the sight of them, and as he moved his gaze to the ground at their feet, his face shattered. Riku was lying in the sand, barely conscious, with a hand draped across his abdomen and a small trickle of blood pouring from the corner of his mouth. Sora immediately, yet calmly walked over to his friend and knelt beside him, taking Riku's hand firmly in his. By now, Cloud and Exsul had joined Sora at his side, eyes wide as they took in the sight before them.

"Riku? Riku! Can you hear me?" Sora called to him.

"S…Sora…" Riku said weakly, rolling his head to the side. His eyes cracked open into dim green slits and a smile crossed his lips. "I knew you'd come."

"Riku…" Sora's voice was cracked and sad, and all at once grateful to hear his voice.

"She's safe, Sora…I made sure…she's hiding in the cove with Selphie and some of the locals…"

Riku didn't wait for the question to come from Sora's mouth; he didn't have to. Tears welled in Sora's eyes at the news that Kairi was safe, but also for seeing Riku in the state he was in.

"I tried…I tried to be…like you…be a hero…" Riku began to explain, his voice growing weaker.

"You are a hero, Riku. You did great…you just leave the rest to me, okay?" Sora said with a lump growing bigger and bigger in his throat, then turned to the gathered crowd. "Someone…get a doctor…please!"

Riku squeezed Sora's hand gently.

"Sora…it's too late…please, just stay here for a minute…"

Sora wrapped his other hand around Riku's, holding on for dear life.

"Don't leave me…don't you _dare_ leave me…" Sora begged, tears welling into his eyes.

Riku's smile grew, and his eyes blinked heavily.

"Goodbye, my brother…"

A tiny, unnoticeable spark of light passed from Riku's hand into Sora's. Sora began shaking his head in protest as Riku's hand slipped limply from his. Sora just stared at his hands for a moment, then grabbed Riku's lifeless body by the shoulders, shaking him.

"Riku…wake up! Wake up! Please, for the love of God…" Sora's voice pleaded through broken sobs.

He collapsed upon Riku's chest, gripping his shoulders tightly, tears flowing freely from his eyes and soaking Riku's shirt. The others all looked on in grief for their fallen friend, and their collective hearts broke for the agony Sora was in. Yuffie came up behind him, slid to her knees, placing a hand on his shoulder and laying her cheek against his back as his sobs steadily grew louder. Suddenly and without warning, Sora threw his head back, letting out an angered scream. The bellow was low, rumbling, and full of rage. It shook the very ground they were standing upon as the gathered friends looked on in shock. Sora scream faded and he gritted his teeth, seething with fury; his normally soft and comforting blue eyes burning like wildfire.

Unexpectedly, his head whipped around towards the ocean, and that's when his horrible nightmare became a reality. Standing in the distance, a tall figure wrapped in darkness hovered just above the water, eyes glowing eerily with pale green light and tendrils of long silver hair peeking out here and there. Suddenly, the distance between the two of them became thick and obscured, and several sets of glowing amber eyes burned in Sora's direction. Lightning flashed across the sky, illuminating the creatures blocking Sora from the shore…Heartless, easily numbering in the hundreds. They all looked so much more twisted and evil than Sora had remembered. Half of them had a trisected mouth, almost beak like, with rows of sharp and foreboding teeth, backs covered in foot-long spikes; the other half of them had snaking black tendrils protruding from their skin and wisps of ebony smoke encircling them, creating an absence of light wherever they stood. Sora exploded from where he knelt at Riku's side, inadvertently knocking Yuffie on her butt as he did so; he was charging at them headlong, Keyblade drawn and at the ready, burning blue eyes locked on eerie green.

Cloud stood tall and looked down at Riku's prone and lifeless body, as if not noticing Sora's outburst of anger. Exsul's eyes shifted to Cloud, and he raised his bowed head to speak.

"Cloud, what is it?" Exsul asked, examining Cloud's face.

Cloud stared down at a solitary puncture wound in the center of Riku's chest, and suddenly his face went pale. His mouth hung open slightly as he studied it; it was about two inches long, and looked like it had come from some type of blade. Cloud's hand relaxed against his abdomen, his fingers absently tracing a small scar he had hidden beneath the fabric of his shirt.

"No…it can't be…" Cloud said, his voice barely audible and with a tint of horror to it.

"What is it?" Exsul insisted on an answer from him.

"Exsul, with me. The rest of you, stay here and guard the cove. Do not, by _any_ means, leave the cove, understood?" Cloud's voice was commanding without being domineering.

He didn't wait for either reply or protest; he grabbed his sword in hand and took off running after Sora, Exsul close on his heels.

Sora was like a man possessed by some unseen devil; hacking and slashing, punching and kicking his way fiercely through the horde of monsters that stood between him and the mysterious figure. He was unstoppable, no matter how many tried to take him down, his actions fueled by bloodlust. Cloud and Exsul, to say the least, had their hands full; Cloud was using every trick he had to keep them at bay with his Buster Sword, while Exsul took down some with his magic and some with the staff at his side. They tried desperately to catch up to Sora, but were steadily being outnumbered.

"Cloud!" Exsul shouted over them. "Get down!"

Cloud knew better than to not listen to a teammate during battle; he dove between a few of the Heartless, rolling harmlessly out of the way, crouching in preparation for whatever the mysterious sorcerer had planned. The Heartless had stopped dead in their tracks, watching as Exsul rose into the air, piercing beams of white light cutting through them from the center of his chest. In an instant, there was a growing dome of brilliant iridescent light that encompassed them, Exsul hovering at its epicenter. In a blinding flash of light, the half-globe exploded noiselessly, followed by a shockwave of dust and air. When the light faded, Cloud looked in disbelief as the gathered Heartless had been completely obliterated. He ran over to Exsul, who was kneeling heavily in the sand, and slowly hefted him to his feet.

"Next time, open with that…" Cloud said cooly.

Exsul offered a small laugh, winced, and grabbed his ribs. Whatever he had done, it appeared to take a lot out of him.

All that remained between Sora and his goal was a single Heartless, its trisected maw gaping open with an unearthly howl. Sora hefted the Keyblade, viciously and unforgivingly beheading it as Cloud and Exsul caught up to him. Sora was breathing heavily, still seething, teeth clenched dangerously tight. Cloud placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him, causing the keyed-up Sora to spin around and nearly attack him. Just as Cloud opened his mouth to offer Sora some calming words, a smooth and chilly voice cut the air.

"Good…give in to your hate, your anger…your _darkness_! It will make this all the more enjoyable, Keybearer."

Sora's eyes narrowed as he turned slowly to face the voice, realizing it was coming from the darkness-shrouded figure with the green eyes. Exsul had gotten himself upright again, and was looking upon the figure as well, his gaze returning to his usual cold and expressionless façade. The figure's voice had sent a shiver down Cloud's spine, who stared in disbelief as the dark entrails slowly dissipated, revealing the man's long flowing silver hair and a single angelic wing protruding from his back, enclosed in raven-black feathers.

"Good to see you again…" The man said, a wry smile crossing his thin lips. "Cloud."

Sora and Exsul's eyes fell on Cloud, who had been in a state of disbelief. Cloud's eyes narrowed, and all of a sudden he was the hardened warrior once again.

"Sephiroth…"


	8. Estuans Interius Ira Vehementi

**A/N: A lot of emotion going into the previous chapter, and into the next few. I will try to keep updating as often as possible. Right now, I'm running on about 4 hours of sleep a night, so updates may be spaced out a bit more than usual.**

…..

The air had become still and stagnant, thick smoke choking out all but small pockets of breathable air. The newly-formed Trinity stood wearily on the shoreline, waiting for whatever was about to come next. Cloud stood at their center, his fists gripped tightly on his sword, gaze leveled at his old enemy. Sephiroth's posture was confident and conquering; in his mind, he had already won…and the seething expression on Sora's face was all he needed to feel like he had.

"Look around you, Cloud," Sephirtoh said with outstretched arms. "Remind you of anything?"

"Go to hell…" Cloud said coldly, the anger in his voice burning like a fire.

"Relax, hero…I'm not here for you…" Sephiroth said simply, gesturing towards Sora. "I came for the Keybearer."

Cloud's eyes widened. What could his greatest enemy possibly want with Sora?

"I suppose I should thank you, Cloud." Sephiroth continued. "When our world was destroyed, the Lifestream that kept me imprisoned dissipated, granting me a second chance at life. You see, Cloud…as long as you live, I can never die. We are all connected…you, me…and Mother."

"Jenova…" Cloud almost whispered under his breath.

"Yes, Cloud…she is a part of you as much as she is a part of me. When you came here, Mother and I used our connection to you to cross over. However, in the state we were in, there was no way we could manifest ourselves. Stuck in limbo, Mother and I scoured the endless dimensions to find a suitable amount of energy to sustain us as the Lifestream once had…" Sephiroth pointed to Exsul, a smirk tweaking the corner of his mouth. "And that's when we found _your_ world!"

"My world…?" Exsul asked with a confused tone in his voice.

"You mean you hadn't figured it out yet? How easily it was able to be destroyed?" Sephiroth asked mockingly. "I would have thought you of all people would have recognized the horrible face of your planet's destruction!"

Exsul's eyes went wide behind the hood of his cloak.

"No…" he breathed with a rasp.

"Beautiful, isn't it? A disembodied, evil soul…hungry for destruction and revenge. He reached out to Mother, forming a union between the two of them that proved very…useful. They used your planet as the guinea pig; consuming it from within, absorbing eons of knowledge and power…devouring it to sustain them…to recreate them!" Sephiroth laughed evily. "Travelling to this galaxy, they found the Deep Jungle as a perfect form of sustenance; natural energy in its purest form, all but untouched and uncorrupted by human influence…it fell all too easily into their grasp. Imagine it: a union between the Goddess of Creation and the Devourer of Dreams, with myself as their vessel!"

"Who…?" Cloud asked, trying to absorb everything they were being told.

"Why not ask your friend here?" Sephiroth said, cocking his head towards Exsul. "He knows of whom I speak…all too well. In fact…he claimed your sister as I recall…didn't he?"

Exsul's eyes were thin slits of red, his lip curled revealing canines that were slightly longer than normal, ending in sharp points.

"Shut up…" he said angrily.

Sora and Cloud's gaze came to fall on Exsul; it had been a short time that they had known him, but for the most part they believed that he was all but devoid of emotion.

"She's in here, you know…" Sephiroth continued, ignoring Exsul's protest, and tapping his temple lightly. "She wants to know why you stopped searching for her…why you continue to _fail_ her!"

"Enough!" Exsul exclaimed, tossing his cloak to the side in a single fluid motion, ready to tear Sephiroth apart.

Beneath his cloak he wore thick, form-fitting leather armor across his chest, and a flowing purple cape draped across his shoulders, looking like the folded wings of a bat in the darkness of the night. His bluish-lavender hair flowed lightly in the wind, drawn tightly against his scalp in a pronounced widow's peak, tucked neatly behind pointed ears.

"And exactly what does all of this have to do with _me_?" Sora asked vehemently, his voice sounding annoyed and angry.

"Because with your power…with your Keyblade…we can unlock the source of power housed within every planet in the galaxy, attaining the ultimate power…" Sephiroth answered pointedly. "Imagine it; the power to do whatever you heart desires…to no longer be the puppet of an uncaring King. Tell me, Keybearer, what is it that your heart desires the most? Your lost light? Shall I take that from you as well?"

Sora stepped forward, his eyes flashing dangerously, gaze leveled at Sephiroth.

"What I want…is to spill a gallon of your blood for every innocent drop you've spilled!" Sora answered angrily. "I could give a shit less about your crusade!"

Sephiroth laughed mockingly.

"So brave…yet so foolish. I won't have to do a thing; after the events here today…" Sephiroth paused as entrails of darkness enveloped him. "_You_ will come to me _willingly_!"

The silver haired harbinger of death began to fade behind the darkness wrapping around him. Sora ran towards him, pushing past Cloud and Exsul, but he was too late. As soon as Sephiroth was completely eclipsed, he disappeared from sight entirely. Sora sunk to his knees, the surf lapping over his thighs; he had been denied his revenge for Riku's death. He hung his head solemnly his eyes growing dark, and his rage slowly fading away as if washed out to sea. Exsul and Cloud strode up to either side of him, each grabbing him under the arm and hefting him slowly to his feet. They turned, defeated, walking back towards the shore and in the direction of the protected cove. A little ways from the beach, Leon stood silently, exchanging an icy glance with Cloud; they respected each other as warriors, but that was about as far as their tolerance of each other allowed. Sora lifted his gaze, steadily placing himself firmly on his own two feet as Cloud and Exsul released him. Sora scanned the area in front of him, all charred earth and thick smoke; he had failed when his friends…his family...had needed him the most. He looked out in front of him at the lifeless body of Riku, his heart freezing in his chest as he realized that Kairi was standing over him, her face buried in her hands and sobbing uncontrollably. Yuffie and Selphie were by her side, each with an arm around her, trying to comfort her. She slowly dropped her hands; her sobs subsiding as she slowly turned her head to look directly into Sora's eyes. Pushing away from Yuffie and Selphie's comforting grasp, she stomped off towards him, kicking up tufts of sand as she did so. Sora saw something burning in her eyes, in her expression, that he had never seen before. He half expected her to collapse into his arms, burying her face in his chest, begging him for comfort. What came from her instead as she approached Sora was something no one saw coming; she hauled her arm back, slapping him hard across the face, making Sora stumble back a few steps, his face stinging and swelling with a hand-sized red mark blazing across his cheek. Before he knew it, she was in his face, screaming; her tiny white-knuckled fists pounding repeatedly on his chest.

"You…you son of a bitch!" She screamed, tears flowing down her face and sprinkling him with tiny droplets. "You did this! You brought this on all of us! If it weren't for you, Riku would still be alive!"

All Sora could do was stand rigid against her blows, his head bowed and shoulders slumped. He opened his mouth to protest, but no words came…there was nothing he could say. He just stood there and took it, telling himself that he deserved much worse. Kairi stopped pounding on his chest and took a step back, eviscerating him with her harsh words through broken sobs.

"Where in the hell were you, huh? Riku tried to be you…to do the job that _you_ were supposed to do!"

"Kairi, stop…" Yuffie said, trying to cut her off. "It's not Sora's fault…"

"I wish…I wish you had never come back!" Kairi continued, ignoring her plea. "Then Riku would still be alive…and none of this would have ever happened…"

Sora was shaking, feeling as though at any moment he was going to drop dead at her feet. Yuffie took a few steps towards them, trying to decide whether or not to get in between them. Kairi had a threatening, almost feral look in her eyes that told Yuffie that discretion was probably the best course of action.

"It should be _you _lying there right now!" Kairi continued with her onslaught, breathing heavily. "And you know what Sora? I…I wish it _was_!"

With that, Kairi turned on her heel and took off running down the beach, arms flailing wildly at her sides as she did. Yuffie took off after her, stopping in her tracks and turning to look at Sora. He was standing there, shaking horribly, his eyes devoid of any light and expression broken. He couldn't cry, he couldn't speak…Kairi's words had wounded him deeper that seeing that damnable ring on her finger. Yuffie looked back and forth between the two of them, trying to decide which of her two dear friends needed her the most, wishing that she could split herself in two. Sora eyes lifted slightly to look at her. She looked into his eyes, her gaze apologetic, before taking off down the beach, yelling after Kairi. Sora again lowered his head, wanting desperately to fulfill Kairi's wish; to drop dead and will his life into Riku. Cloud came up behind him, reaching his hand out to grab Sora's shoulder, and then hesitated.

"Please…" Sora said, his voice barely discernible and completely broken. "Just leave me alone…"

Cloud lowered his hand, understanding all too well the pain Sora must be experiencing. Without saying a word, he walked to the gathered crowd of locals and friends, fading into the night as he led them home. The Keybearer had felt like a complete failure. His best friend was dead, the woman he still harbored a repressed love for wanted him dead, his friends were badly wounded, and Sephiroth had escaped. And it was all because Sora had failed as the Keybearer; or at least, that's what _he_ thought. Sora turned on his heel and strode over to Riku's lifeless body. For a moment he stood there, staring at his fallen comrade. He bent down, scooping him up into his arms, and carried him off into the dark of the night.

…

Cloud and Exsul had made sure that the locals gathered in the cove were returned safely to their homes, or at the very least, found somewhere to stay if their home had been destroyed. The main city of the island remained surprisingly intact, save for a few homes and buildings along the beach. Some of the fires that had spread to the city's structures were easily put out with a minimal amount of damage. Cloud had breathed a heavy sigh of relief at the fact that there weren't any fatalities, save for a very small fraction. Immediately afterward, they led those injured to the hospital to get treated. The minute staff was overwhelmed at first by the number of casualties they had brought in, but were steadily able to make their rounds to everyone. Tidus, Wakka, and Leon insisted that the civilian casualties got treatment first, regardless of the amount of pain that they were all in. When the nurses and doctors did get around to them, their hearts shattered for the broken young men, whose injuries had been much more severe than the minor burns and scrapes they had been treating throughout the night. Tidus had to get several stitches in the brow above his left eye; after they gently cleaned the encrusted blood from his face, they gingerly placed an ice pack over his swollen eye. The eye itself was completely occluded, making his vision blurry, but they assured him that he would be able to see out of it again. Wakka's shoulder had been dislocated and his arm broken in several places; nonetheless, he was able to keep his sense of humor about him, playfully asking the doctor if he would ever play Blitzball again and occasionally flirting with his nurse. They were able to pop his shoulder back into socket with a loud bone-on-bone clap that made his skin crawl, and set his broken bones, wrapping his arm tightly in a cast. Leon was perhaps the worst of them all, although his cold exterior gave little away. He had three broken ribs, making his breath short and raspy. He would have to stay in the hospital for a few days to recover; all they could do for now was bandage his ribcage heavily and administer an IV with a morphine drip. He did little to protest.

…..

Kairi had finally come to a halt, collapsing exhaustedly into the saturated sand of the shoreline. She was hunched over on her hands and knees when Yuffie finally caught up to her, the ocean lapping at her body and making her sway limply back and forth. Yuffie gently came up behind her, hooking her hands under her arms and dragging her back as tenderly as she could. Her body was dead weight in Yuffie's grasp, and she collapsed backwards into the female warrior's arms. Kairi lazily turned around to face her, her face stained with tears, looking up at her with bloodshot eyes. She opened her mouth to say something, but her lip quivered and she flung herself into Yuffie's awaiting embrace, violently sobbing. All Yuffie could do was hold her, petting the back of her head soothingly, plastering her damp crimson tresses against her neck. She sat there with her, gently rocking her back and forth, as Kairi's emotions poured forth like an opened floodgate.

Up in the sky, the smoke began to clear and the stars had begun to peek through, as if cutting through the darkness of the night, making the sky visible once again. All anyone could do was hope that the worst of it was behind them, and mourn the loss of their friend…their hero…who had given his life to protect them.

**So, any guesses yet as to who Exsul is? Lots of clues in this chapter; if you know, pretend you don't...if you don't know, stay tuned...his identity will be revealed in the coming chapters. I'm getting quite a few hits on this story but not many reviews; please keep in mind that reviews are an author's bread and butter, so I greatly appreciate any and all reviews that you can spare. What you love, what you didn't, what you'd like to see more of, less of...anything! Just please review! I'll make you a deal; you review my story, and I'll read and review yours. Sound good? Awesome. I'm gonna rack out for a few hours and hope I get up on time!**


	9. Funeral for a Friend

The days had passed since Sephiroth's attack on Destiny Islands. The sky was once again clear and blue, and all remnants of his brazen assault had all but vanished, save for a few patches of charred earth. The small number of buildings that had been damaged or (in some cases) completely destroyed were being cleaned up and repair crews had started to work on rebuilding in the wake of destruction. Buildings and homes could be rebuilt or replaced; lost lives and broken souls, however, were not as fortunate. It had been days since anyone had seen or heard from Sora, but he had single-handedly taken it upon himself to make the arrangements for Riku's funeral. Kairi just simply couldn't; she was too far gone emotionally, despite everything Yuffie was doing to try and console her. She would come around eventually, of that Kairi's friends were certain, but there wasn't a single person who didn't wonder if her friendship with Sora could be salvaged…or, for that matter, if she would even want to try. Sora had tried to bury the feelings of remorse and pain he had felt from Kairi's outburst like he had everything else lately, but it was next to impossible for him. The woman he loved wanted him dead; to Sora there was no grey area in her black-and-white wishes. He wanted to run to her, spill his feelings and emotions at her feet and beg for her forgiveness; the only thing stopping him from doing so was his focus on writing Riku's eulogy, which Sora insisted he be the one to deliver.

Sora sat at a small writing desk tucked neatly in the corner of his room, dimly lit by an old office desk lamp that once belonged to his father. The sun outside shone brightly on his isolated home, but Sora had drawn the thick curtains of his bedroom tightly, as if begging the light of day to leave him in peace. There were crumpled balls of white paper lining the floor next to him; no matter what he wrote down, it just didn't seem right. For a while, he sat and stared at the blank white pad of paper in front of him, chewing habitually on the end of his pen. He thought he heard the front door open, but paid it no mind until he heard a soft, compassionate voice coming from the living room.

"Sora…?" The voice called almost nervously.

_Was it Kairi?_ Sora asked himself. _No, it couldn't be…she was the last person who would want to see me right now…_

"Sora…it's me, Yuffie…are you there?" She asked nervously, hoping his voice would call back from the darkness.

"In here…" Sora called quietly from the bedroom.

Yuffie took a deep breath and walked quietly down the hallway to his bedroom. She peeked around the doorjamb, making sure he was there, before stepping through the threshold, carrying a large Styrofoam cup of coffee in either hand. She walked up behind him quietly, as if floating on air, and stopped just behind where he was seated. He looked up as she did so, peeking over his hunched shoulder. The light barely illuminated the right side of his face, his shadow blocking out the left side entirely. His eyes were slits of bloodshot white and glazed-over blue encircled with dark skin, making her gasp a bit before her brow furrowed with concern.

"Have you gotten _any_ sleep lately?" She asked, her voice quiet and nurturing.

Sora shook his head.

"I've tried…" his eyes returned to the blank sheet of paper in front of him. "Every time I close my eyes…I see Riku…I see his eyes closing, and know that he'll never open them again…"

His head bowed, his words making her heart ache for him. She leaned in next to his left side, setting one of the cups of coffee down softly on the desk, and glanced at the side of his face with a gasp. From his cheekbone to his jaw line, his skin was red and puffy, a dime-sized bruise starting to form just below the corner of his eye.

"It's not as bad as it looks…" He tried to say reassuringly.

"I'm not worried about what it looks like on the _outside_." Yuffie said with heavy emotion in her voice.

"I'm fine." Sora said plainly as he began to scribble a few words down on the paper.

"You're _fine_?" Yuffie exclaimed, still trying to keep her voice gentle and calm. "Sora, after everything you've been through over the last few days, I'd hardly say that 'fine' describes how you're feeling!"

He stopped writing, pen still pressed to paper. He almost winced at her words, as if afraid that she was going to hurt him…strike him like Kairi had. Yuffie set down her cup, wrapping her fingers over his shoulders lightly.

"I'm sorry, Sora…I didn't mean to yell." Yuffie said apologetically.

"It's okay, Yuffie…really…" Sora assured her.

The pain on his face and his words did little to hide the pain in his heart; Yuffie may not have been the cause, but she wasn't about to make matters worse. She gripped his shoulders lightly and started to massage his bunched-up muscles. It was a sore subject to be sure, better left to another time. Offering a warm smile, she changed the subject.

"So…whatcha writin'?" She asked.

"I'm writing…_trying_ to write…Riku's eulogy." Sora said with a half smirk, gesturing to the crumpled mess of papers at his side. "Not having much luck as you can see."

"Riku was your best friend, Sora, just say what's in your heart. Maybe tell a story about how you two first met, you know…" She paused to rest her chin on his shoulder. "Something…positive."

Sora nodded, his gaze almost burning a hole in the desk in front of him.

"You're right…he wouldn't want me to read from some prepared script…"

"Exactly!" She said, giving his shoulders a little shake.

A wave of relief came over him and he let the pen fall from his grasp. Once again, when darkness clouded his vision, Yuffie was like a torch leading the way back home. She looked into his very soul, guiding him where he faltered, sympathizing with his pain. He sighed heavily and leaned back against the chair, slouching a bit.

"How is Kairi, by the way?" Sora asked seemingly out of the blue.

"Give her time…" Yuffie answered. "She's in a lot of pain right now, but she needs you…she won't admit it and it may not seem like it, but she needs you, Sora."

"I…" Sora sighed, closing his eyes. "I want to go to her…so bad right now…to hold her…to tell her that everything is going to be alright…to tell her how I feel inside…there's so much I want to say…I just…I don't know where to even start."

A drop of moisture hit the paper and the messily-scribbled ink started to bleed where it hit.

"I know you do…" Yuffie said soothingly, wrapping her arms around his neck. "It's okay."

Her cheek pressed against his warmly, catching another freely-falling tear; Yuffie wasn't sure if it was his or her own.

"You know what helps me sometimes?" She asked warmly. "Sometimes, I get kinda…jumbled up…in my head, y'know? So I pull out my journal and I just write…get it all out of my system."

"And…that helps?" Sora asked, staring at the paper in front of him.

"Sure! I used to do it all the time, especially when I was going through my early 'angsty' years." She answered with a warm smile. "I came up with a lot of reeeeeally bad goth poetry when I was thirteen…" She paused, shivering dramatically. "Scary stuff!"

Sora couldn't help but laugh, a bit of that bright white Sora smile peeking through, which made Yuffie hug him tightly. She turned her cheek, brushing her smooth skin against his, placing a gentle kiss near the corner of his mouth. For a minute, Sora's heart melted and his pain faded.

"Thanks, Yuffie…I…I don't know what I'd do without you." He said softly.

She felt her pulse race for a moment; she had never felt so needed or loved by anyone before, and felt so fortunate to have become such close friends with Sora.

"Anytime, sweetheart…" She said soothingly. "Now get some rest…and give me a call if you need anything."

"Yes, ma'am!" Sora said, making a mock salute with two fingers and giving her a small wink.

Yuffie giggled, tousled his hair playfully, then turned and walked out of his room, exiting the house and closing the door softly behind her. Sora closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and tore the messy scribble-covered page from the notepad. With a smile on his face, he put the pen to the paper and cleared his mind. Before he knew it, he had written out his feelings on the paper, his soul flowing into the pen and manifesting itself into words. Without reading what he had written, he neatly tore the page from the notepad, folded it over a few times, and placed it on his desk. Turning off the light with a steady click of the chain, he stood, crossed the room to his bed, and fell asleep without a single nightmare.

…..

The morning of the funeral, the air was still and the ocean calm, as if observing a moment of silence for Riku. The gathering that had arrived to pay their respects was small but at the same time showed how much Riku had touched their lives. Sitting in the very back, away from the others gathered, was Kairi; her face was veiled, her gaze downcast, and Yuffie had her cradled under her arm. Kairi wanted nothing more than to put this day behind her, her emotions wreaking havoc inside her expressionless façade. Riku was to be buried under the oddly-curved paopu tree that they had spent so much time lounging under as children; Sora couldn't think of a better way to honor their fallen friend, nor could anyone else. They had decided on an open casket; Riku lay inside, his hands folded neatly over his waist, wearing the suit that Sora had helped him pick out for the wedding. It seemed a bit morbid to some, but oddly enough, Kairi hadn't put up much of a protest. Sora stood at the podium, wearing an all black three piece suit, tailored to fit snugly to his skinny frame. As he looked around at the crowd, they, too, were dressed in black; a drastic change from the bright hues he was used to seeing his friends in on a regular basis. He took one last pass over the crowd, a bit of glow returned to his shining blue eyes; his gaze fell upon Kairi only for a moment, but she refused to look up at him. He looked down at the podium for few seconds, trying to organize the thoughts in his head; he heeded Yuffie's advice and decided to speak from his heart…the first time he would do so since returning home. He slowly stepped from behind the podium, ambling over to the casket to place his hand gently upon Riku's forehead.

"Riku…my oldest friend…my oldest rival…my dear brother. He brought out the best in me, and at times, even the worst. He always pushed me to be better than I was, better than I thought I could be. No matter what, he had always been there…like a guardian angel."

Sora's eyes were cast down at his friend's peaceful face, as if speaking directly to Riku.

"I remember…the first time I met him. It was second grade; there was this group of kids that used to pick on me all the time…older kids, at least by a few years. One day, they were following me home after school. One of them threw a rock at my head, and when I fell to the ground they all started hitting me, kicking sand in my face…then I heard this loud 'pop'. I looked up, and the kid who threw the rock at me, the biggest one in the group, was holding his nose…blood was just pouring out of it and he was…crying. I looked over, and that's when I saw Riku for the first time. He was standing over me, his fist clenched, yelling at them to leave me alone. After they ran off, he helped me up, made sure I got home okay…even stayed late that night just to make sure. Ever since then…"

Sora stopped, a single tear falling from his eye. His voice began to waver, but he was able to recompose himself. Everyone in the crowd had sad smiles on their faces…tears rolling down their eyes; whether or not Kairi did as well, no one could tell. Sora looked up, not so much looking at the crowd, just towards them.

"Riku's death was probably the worst thing I'd ever witnessed…even worse than my parents' deaths. He was a gentle soul, a proud warrior…and a hero to the very end. His young life should be celebrated, never mourned. I will close today by simply making you one promise. I will find the man responsible for Riku's death and ensure that he is brought down with every inch of strength I have…"

Sora's hand gripped the chain around his neck, the crown pendant that he had always worn so proudly. With a jerk of his hand, he yanked the necklace off with a quiet jingle of metal, gingerly tucking it under Riku's cold hand. Sora walked a few steps down the beach, the eyes of those in attendance following him as he did so. He stopped and looked back over his shoulder at them.

"…Or I won't come back at all."

With that, Sora walked until he was out of sight. The hush that had fallen over the gathered crowd of friends faded as they began to clamor amongst themselves. Kairi's head had lifted ever so slightly with Sora's final words, repeating them over and over again in her head, burning them into her mind. There was no sadness in his voice, no regret, no depression…just pure, raw determination. Out of all the people at Riku's funeral, Kairi had known Sora the longest; she had never seen this side of Sora before. Sure, he was confident, maybe even a little cocky when it came to his previous missions…but this was so much different. Gone was the boy she had grown up with; in his place was this young man with a fire in his eyes she had never seen. He was going to find Sephiroth…maybe even kill him…or die trying. She was unable to stop the tear rolling down her face, although she hid it well from everyone else.

As Sora walked he spotted Cloud and Exsul waiting for him. They hadn't attended the funeral, feeling this was something Sora had to face on his own. Sora nodded to them as he approached and began to unbutton the somewhat restrictive jacket, flinging it up over his shoulder as he did so.

"We need to talk." Cloud said as Sora approached, cutting a glance to Exsul.

"Agreed." Exsul said simply. "We have much to discuss."

The three of them hadn't spoken since the night they arrived on the island. They had given Sora his time to grieve for Riku's loss and get his head on straight, but they simply could wait no longer.

It was time to plan their next move.

**Okay, so next chapter, we will find out the whole story behind Exsul and his connection to Sephiroth's newfound power. Any questions? Please review, and let me know what your thoughts are.**


	10. Departure

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Keep 'em coming! Feel free to recommend this story to your friends, family, dog, dog's family, that creepy neighborhood kid who plays World of Warcraft, etc.**

There are times in everyone's life where they must make difficult decisions; decisions that will shape the very outcome of one's future. For Sora, the decision to leave his friends and his home was never an easy one. His life as the Keybearer had come at great personal cost; yes, everyone could rest easier knowing that good had triumphed over evil…but what about the Keybearer himself? His duty…his destiny…was always clear; but those were missions. No one would ask him to willingly go after Sephiroth, and no one would blame him if he left it in Cloud's hands. Sora, however, was no coward; he had lost much during his time away, of that there was no question, but he had never lost a friend…a brother like he had with Riku. To Sora, the choice was painfully obvious and was made the second the life faded from those emerald green eyes.

There was a deafening silence that had fallen over _The Bahamut_ as the trio walked through the door. The inside was sterile and bright, all sleek metal and state-of-the-art technology. There was a small common area just outside the cockpit with a few tables and chairs, looking not unlike Sora's living room. The three of them each took a seat; the time had come to strategize a counter-attacked against the silver haired harbinger, but first, there were some questions that needed to be answered.

"I need to know everything you can tell me about Sephiroth." Sora said plainly, getting right to the point, looking to Cloud for the answers he sought. "He seems to know a lot about you. I take it you two have met before?"

Cloud nodded taking a deep breath.

"Sephiroth and I have, to say the least, a long and violent history." Cloud began. "It all started when I was a kid, growing up in my hometown of Nibelheim. I got picked on a lot back then, and decided that I wanted something greater…that I wanted to be greater than I was. There was this group of warriors known as SOLDIER; they were basically this elite group that took on only the most dangerous of assignments for the Shinra Corporation, their benefactor and largest military superpower in the world. At the head of SOLDIER was their most elite and infamous warrior; Sephiroth. Everyone looked up to him as a symbol of strength, including myself. I wanted to be just like him; I figured if I could make it into SOLDIER, people would respect me as well. When I came of age, I enlisted in the Shinra Army, with hopes of one day becoming a SOLDIER elite like Sephiroth."

"And did you?" Sora asked.

"Sadly, no…but, one day, I was asked to go on a mission with him. I was excited, I figured 'this is my chance'…the mission was in my hometown of Nibelheim. I hid myself behind my helmet throughout most of it; I couldn't face the people I had grown up with knowing that I had failed. We were sent to investigate a malfunctioning reactor deep in the mountains. What we found there was…disturbing to say the least; Shinra was conducting biological experiments on human beings, bombarding them with radiation from the planet and infusing them with the cells of Jenova."

"Sephiroth's mother?" Exsul asked.

"Not quite…but I'll get to that in a minute." Cloud continued. "Sephiroth deduced that he, too, had been created in much the same way. He went mad, setting the entire town on fire, killing most of the townspeople in the process…including my mother."

Cloud stood, crossing the room to the window, peering out into the horizon.

"That's what he meant…" Sora started. "When he said, 'remind you of anything?'"

Cloud nodded sadly, his eyes closing for a moment as he breathed a heavy sigh.

"And Jenova…?" Exsul inquired.

"The calamity from the skies…" Cloud continued. "That's what they called her. She arrived on our world centuries ago, gaining the trust of the Cetra, our ancient ancestors. Once she had them lulled into a false sense of security, she began manipulating them; turning them against one another…turning them into monsters. The few that remained were able to use the planet's life energy to seal her away. As fate would have it, the Shinra found her in the mountains above my hometown. They built a reactor there, keeping her contained by siphoning off the planet's energy, using her in their experiments to create an unstoppable army."

"I take it Sephiroth was their only success?" Exsul asked, quirking a brow.

"Not the only one…" Cloud answered as he turned to face them. "They used her in experiments of all kinds, trying to recreate their success with Sephiroth…I was one of them, hence my connection to Sephiroth and Jenova."

Sora's eyes widened; the thought of being experimented upon like a lab rat sickened him.

"Sephiroth made it his goal in life to give the planet back to his 'Mother'…" Cloud explained. "He tried to destroy our planet, and he would have succeeded if we wouldn't have intervened."

"And you…" Sora began, looking over to Exsul. "What is your connection to all of this? Sephiroth seemed to know quite a bit about you as well."

Exsul stood, walking over to a wall and leaning against it, his arms folded.

"I had never heard of Sephiroth until we arrived here…" Exsul admitted.

"Who was he talking about…this 'devourer of dreams'?" Cloud asked.

"My planet was destroyed once before, long before Sephiroth and Jenova's involvement…at least, it should have been." Exsul explained.

A look of confusion came over Sora and Cloud's respective expressions. They exchanged a glance before Exsul continued.

"The one Sephiroth spoke of came to my planet eons ago, during what you would consider our prehistoric age. Burrowing beneath the surface of the planet, he began to feed off of life itself, absorbing centuries of knowledge in the process." Exsul shifted his gaze out the window. "My first experience with him came when I was but a child. I was born into a noble royal family, our kingdom the center of power for the entire world. We had mastered the art of magic, and used it as a means of creating a utopia where we could live in peace."

"So how did it all go wrong?" Sora asked.

"My mother…she had always tried to find ways to better our kingdom. She desired, above all else, to make our kingdom and its people eternal. That was when he gained influence over her, corrupting her mind…turning her into something twisted and evil. She became megalomaniacal, segregating our kingdom from the rest of the world…the ones born without magical gifts as our bloodline had." Exsul bowed his head, somewhat sadly. "The closer she got, the more power she siphoned from him, the worse it became. He ravaged our world, seeking to absorb its power that we had been abusing for so long and become one with it. My sister…she was the only one with the power to control it…to try and stop it."

"What about you?" Cloud asked pointedly. "From what I saw on the beach, you're no slouch yourself."

"I was too young, my powers had not yet manifested…" Exsul continued. "I was powerless to watch as he absorbed my sister, draining her power for his own use…I tried to stop him…"

"What happened?" Sora asked with a touch of concern.

"He created a rift in space and time…hurdling me forward into our planet's future." Exsul explained. "Once there, I was devastated…my family destroyed in the blink of an eye, my sister…the one source of light I had in my life…gone. I was found by this fiend of a man who recognized my latent abilities…he wanted them for his own use; all I cared about was attaining the power I needed to destroy that blasted creature who took from me everything. I willingly allowed the darkness in my heart to consume me, giving me the power I needed to face him…and in the process…turning me into something twisted by evil, just as my mother had been. I denounced my heritage, creating instead something much darker within myself. I began to raise an army of twisted and evil creatures just like myself, taking the moniker of 'The Fiendlord'. I thought that the only way I could have my sister back was by destroying him…"

"And did you?" Cloud questioned.

Exsul shook his head. "I tried…I wasn't strong enough to take him down myself. Little did I know at the time, there was a group of warriors that were trying to stop him as well. When he created that rift in time, several other portals were created as well. The group I met had seen the future of the planet, seen the eventual destruction caused by him…and decided to stop it. I joined them, hoping to bring back my sister, even if I had to do it with darkness still clouding my heart. We were able to destroy him…but at a heavy cost; after he was defeated, I lost all memory of who I was. All I had was this notion that there was someone I was supposed to be searching for. Without any knowledge of who I was in the past, I was able to clear the darkness in my heart, restoring my memory in the process. Just when I had almost found my way back to her…my world was destroyed…again."

Sora sat wide-eyed, trying to take in everything he had just heard.

"Sephiroth and Jenova must have joined with the one who destroyed your planet all those years ago…" Sora said with a sound of realization in his voice.

"Creating a creature of unspeakable power in the process." Exsul said plainly.

"Exsul…" Cloud started, a tone in his voice no one had heard before. "If we're going to work together to stop Sephiroth, we need to be completely honest with each other…"

"I speak the truth, Cloud…" Exsul insisted.

"I don't doubt that…but I get the feeling that Exsul is not your real name." Cloud retorted.

"What makes you say that, Cloud?" Sora asked, seeming a bit annoyed.

"He is correct, Sora." Exsul admitted. "I _chose_ the name Exsul…in ancient languages, it stands for 'exile'…"

"Fitting…" Cloud said under his breath with a bit of a smirk.

"Before that…demon…destroyed everything it stood for, my given name was Prince Janus Zeal."

"Zeal…the name of your kingdom?" Sora asked.

"Precisely." He answered.

"And the one who destroyed your world…?" Cloud asked.

"His name…" he paused, disgust clouding his voice. "Lavos."

There was a moment of silence followed by a simultaneous sighs.

"Now that we have that out of the way," Cloud said cooly. "What's our next course of action?"

"I suggest checking in with King Mickey as soon as possible," Exsul said. "If any further worlds are in danger, we need to know about it."

"Sounds good." Cloud said with a nod. "Sora?"

"Yes, Cloud?" He answered.

"I'll give you a moment…to say goodbye to everyone. I'll make contact with His Majesty." Cloud added.

"It will likely be nightfall before we hear anything, Cloud…" Exsul said plainly. "Let us give him the night; we'll leave first thing in the morning."

Cloud nodded, albeit a bit reluctantly, but he agreed with Exsul. Sora stepped to the door, pushed a few buttons on the panel beside it to make it slide open, and turned to look at them.

"I'll be at my house if you need anything." Sora said, staring out into the distance as he stepped off the ship.

"That boy…" Exsul began as he crossed the room, watching out the open door as Sora disappeared from view. "He has much sadness in his heart."

"I know…" Cloud said solemnly. "But we simply cannot do this without him."

It was late in the afternoon as Sora approached his home, the sun casting a fiery glow on everything it touched. As he crossed the threshold into his living room, he quietly took a look around, as if surveying and memorizing every inch of it. There was this aching thought in the back of his mind that he would never see these walls again, and that is exactly where he tried to keep that thought buried. He stepped into the hallway, sliding open the door of a wide closet where he had always hung coats and things of the like. He grabbed a small suitcase from the top shelf, slinging his large black hoodie over top of it. Walking into his room, he shut the door tightly behind him. Tomorrow, he would leave his home once again as he had so many times before, but this time was different…and Sora knew it. He needed to prepare.

...

Back aboard The Bahamut, Exsul had excused himself and went to his room to rest. For Cloud, however, rest was seldom possible when his old enemy was on his mind. Before, it had been relatively simple to stop Sephiroth, but this new power of his terrified Cloud. If Sephiroth could destroy a planet within the course of a few days, what chance could they stand against him? Cloud's thoughts were interrupted by a rough coughing sound coming from the ship's cockpit. Quietly opening the door, he leaned up against to the doorway. Cid was sitting in the captain's chair, a tall brown bottle clutched in his hand, reflecting the light of the afternoon sun coming in through the windshield. In his other hand, he took a cigarette up to his lips, pulled a long drag from it and held it in for a moment before exhaling in a thick cloud of smoke.

"I thought you quit smoking…" Cloud said with a bit of a smirk, making Cid jump a little.

"I thought _you_ said Sephiroth was dead!" Cid shouted in his gruff voice, his bloodshot eyes narrowing a bit.

Cloud strode over, taking a seat next to him. As he sat, Cid pulled another bottle from a tiny blue cooler at his feet, offering it to Cloud, which he accepted after a bit of a pause.

"I guess I can't blame you, Cid." Cloud said as he popped the cap off of the beer, taking a long pull from it as he brought it to his lips.

Cid breathed a heavy sigh, taking a long drink from his bottle and another heavy drag.

"How can you be so damned cocky at a time like this?" Cid asked.

"What else am I supposed to do?" Cloud answered with a shrug. "Sora's counting on me."

"Ever the proud warrior…" Cid said with a roll of his eyes. "Here comes big bad Cloud to save the day!"

Cloud just laughed, taking another drink.

"And here I thought you didn't love me anymore." Cloud said with a sarcastic tone to his voice.

Cid stared at him for a moment, then cracked a smile and chuckled.

…..

The dawn of the morning brought a lazily-peeking sun over the horizon. _The Bahamut_ sat perched on the sand, patiently awaiting the arrival of Sora, as did his group of loyal friends, clamoring amongst themselves. A silence fell over the beach as the Keybearer approached, everyone looking at him as if it were for the last time. Finally after what seemed like forever, Tidus spoke up.

"Hey, Sora!" He said with a wave of his hand. "Nice threads, man! I love the new look!"

What Sora was wearing was a bit of a drastic change from his usual bright colors. He was wearing his oversized black hoodie unzipped completely, the sleeves looking as though they had been torn off deliberately at the seams, and the hoodie itself draping well past his waist. Directly over his heart was Sora's crown emblem, embroidered beautifully in silver thread looking not unlike Riku's hair. His hand were gloved in black leather, stopping just below his wrists; the knuckles and palms of his hands reinforced with thick padding. On either arm were two silver chains, wrapped neatly around each wrist and crossing in an X pattern over each forearm. He wore long black shorts, the legs hanging loosely and ending at about mid calf, slung over his sharp hips, held in place with a row of chains, with a few dangling down in a loop at his side. On his feet were heavy black boots not unlike Cloud's, with raised steel across the toes. On his left bicep was a single black armband, about three inches wide, embroidered with Riku's name in elegant cursive. Finally, under the hoodie, he wore a form-fitting canary-yellow vest with two black leather belts fastened in an X pattern across his chest, and a single line of silver stitching down the middle.

_The same shirt Riku had worn the day their island became eclipsed in darkness all those years ago._

It was an edgy look, even for Sora given his usual taste in clothing, but he pulled it off confidently.

"No kidding man, you look ready to go kick some ass!" Wakka exclaimed, pumping his fist into the air. "And if the Keybearer thing doesn't work out, you can always come back and be a fashion designer for Hot Topic, ya?"

A sharp elbow poked Wakka in the ribs, making him wince.

"I think it looks amazing." Yuffie said simply. "Pay no attention to the dweeb with the orange hair…"

Sora laughed, shook his head, and made his way to the open hatch of _The Bahamut_. The crowning achievement of Sora's designing skills, however, was on the back of his hoodie. The beautiful embroidery showed two Keyblades; one was Sora's, the other was the dark Keyblade that had once belonged to Riku. They were amazingly detailed and crossed pointing down at the middle of their respective blades. Below them was a phrase, stitched in an old English style text, in some old language.

"_E…E Tenebris Lux_?" Tidus said aloud, straining his eyes to read it.

"What is that…Spanish?" Wakka asked, rubbing his ribs where Yuffie had poked him earlier.

"It's Latin, genius…" Leon called matter-of-factly from where he stood, leaning against a palm tree. "It means, 'out of darkness, light'…"

Sora smiled to himself and nodded, making his way up the steps. As he did so, he stopped and looked over his shoulder at the gathering of his friends. They had all arrived once again to see him off; Yuffie, Tidus, Wakka, Selphie, even Leon…but Kairi was nowhere to be found.

"She's…not coming…" Yuffie said sadly, sensing the question on Sora's mind.

Dipping his head sorrowfully for a moment, Sora waved back at them before stepping aboard. The sleeping giant came to life, engines firing up and kicking sand everywhere as it lifted from the ground. In moments, it was high above the beach, the gathered friends looking about the size of golf balls. Sora looked sadly out the porthole window as they ascended, and it wasn't until they were far above the island that he noticed it; a tiny speck of crimson red against the brilliant white of the sand, steadily encroaching upon the shoreline. The flash of red became a face that looked up at him. Sora squinted and strained his eyes to get a better view, but it was too late, and in an instant the Gummi Ship streaked across the sky, the island quickly shrinking behind them.

Back on the shore of the beach, Kairi collapsed to her knees mere inches from the surf, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. She looked up in the sky, her eyes sparkling against the morning sun with tears threatening to spill over at any minute, as she watched the ship disappear in a streak of light. All she could do was weakly call out, a heavy lump in her throat.

"Sora…please…come back."

**Wow…that chapter was a lot longer than I thought it would be, but there was a lot of explaining of events and filler that had to be put in. I realize now that my disclaimer in chapter 1 was a bit misleading, since Exsul/Janus had never been associated with Kingdom Hearts. Anyway, the cat's out of the bag now. I wanted someone who had struggles similar to Sora's with darkness in their past. I had thought of using someone from Final Fantasy 4 as the third member, maybe Kain or even Cecil (but I figured I use "…" enough already *rimshot* …anyone? *crickets*). Ultimately I decided on Magus/Janus from Chrono Trigger. Next chapter should be up soon.**


	11. Revelations

**A/N: I must start by thanking ParadiseAvenger; I used a quote from one of her previous reviews in this chapter. As I was typing it, I was just like "wow, that would fit perfectly!" Thanks for the inspiration!**

"So, what's the situation?" Sora asked as he stepped from the porthole.

In the center of the common area of the Gummi Ship sat a round metal table with three chairs pulled up to it. In the middle of the table there sat an ornate-looking tea set, three cups sitting neatly around it, pouring wispy trails of steam into the air, and filling the room with an herbal scent. Cloud sat in one of the chairs, leaning back and slouching a bit, taking a sip of his tea. Exsul sat in the opposite chair, arms folded and head down, making Sora wonder if he was asleep or just lost in thought.

"King Mickey wants us to report back to him immediately." Cloud said flatly, setting his cup down neatly on the saucer.

"Great…" Sora said as he flopped down in his chair. "Hopefully he has some news for us."

"Let us hope so." Exsul agreed, picking up his cup and swirling it gently before taking a drink. "The sooner we find Sephiroth, the better."

Cloud looked over to Sora as he picked up the cup of tea in front of him. Something in his eyes didn't seem quite right, and even the way he decided to dress seemed a little…off (at least to Cloud; Exsul surprisingly seemed to like Sora's new look).

"Sora?" Cloud said, sounding somewhat concerned.

"Mmm?" Sora said, muffled as he sipped tea from the cup.

"Everything okay?"

"Sure. Why wouldn't it be? Like Exsul said, the sooner we find Sephiroth, the better."

Cloud let out a sigh, closing his eyes for a moment before continuing.

"Sora, look…I know you have this whole idea of revenge on your mind, but we need to be sensible about this."

"Sensible?" Sora said with an almost laugh. "Were _you_ sensible the night he destroyed _your_ home?"

"Not exactly, but…"

"How about when he killed your mother?"

"Sora…" Exsul interjected. "That's enough."

Sora hung his head a bit.

"Look, Cloud, I'm sorry. It's just…"

"He took everything from you, and you want revenge." Cloud cut him off with a raised hand. "You have nothing to apologize for, Sora. You're right; I was no different from you the night he took everything from me. But believe me when I say that if you attack Sephiroth out of blind rage, you'll just end up dead in the end."

"Then…what would you suggest?" Sora asked.

"You want your shot at Sephiroth, that's fine…but we work as a team. Understood?"

Sora nodded. He understood all too well; he had tried to do things alone before, without his team, and it almost ended in disaster. Cloud was far more experienced at dealing with Sephiroth than Sora was, that was certain; Sora would listen to Cloud's guidance and try to glean as much information as he could from him, and Cloud would give it willingly. All Sora knew beyond a shadow of a doubt was this; if and when it came down to ending Sephiroth's life, Sora would be the one to do it.

…..

From the outside, Yuffie's house looked like any other cookie-cutter design that lined the street; single story, eggshell colored siding, plain-looking shingles, and dark green trim. The inside, however, was a credit to not only her tastes, but to her skills as a designer. Stunning Japanese-style tapestries and antique samurai swords decorated the walls, tall bamboo plants accented the wicker furniture, and dim lighting made everything stand out beautifully. It was a close as she could get to making it look and feel like her childhood home in her native Wutai without the landlord she rented the house from pitching too much of a fit. The air was musky but not overpowering; she had always had some sort of incense or candles burning. It was her own private sanctuary; probably why Kairi was so surprised that Yuffie had allowed her to stay with her after Sephiroth's attack had burned her childhood home to the ground. She couldn't stay with Tidus and Wakka, that was pretty much a given. Selphie had offered her a place to stay, which Kairi respectfully declined; the bright yellows and almost antiseptic odor of the place usually gave her a headache every time she spent more than a few hours there. Riku's apartment simply brought back too many painful memories; aside from the fact that it was Riku's, the fires had damaged much of the building and a lot of the contents had been ruined by water damage. All she knew is that she didn't want to be alone, and Yuffie was all too happy to come to the rescue of her dear friend.

Yuffie opened the door a bit roughly; it usually stuck, especially when the days were warm. Ushering Kairi in gently, Yuffie set her keys down on the small table near the door with a suppressed rattle. Kairi walked in slowly, almost dragging her feet behind her, and flopped down into one of the papasan chairs in the living room. Yuffie let out somewhat of a sigh as she watched her; she was so dead set on _not_ going to see Sora off, yet made such an effort to try and reach him before he left. She realized just how much emotional turmoil Kairi had been through lately; first Riku's death, then her misplaced outrage at Sora, and now…he was gone again, and for all Kairi knew, thought that she hated him. Kairi had felt like she didn't have anyone, and was starting to blame herself for it. Yuffie knelt down in front of her, gingerly placing a hand on her knee.

"Can I get you anything?" Yuffie asked, her voice somewhat motherly.

"Maybe some water?" Kairi answered.

Yuffie nodded, walking to the kitchen and fishing a bottle of water out of the fridge. Bringing it back out to her, she handed it to Kairi and took a seat in the chair next to her.

"Thanks…" Kairi said, grabbing it from her weakly and twisting open the bottle to take a drink.

Yuffie wasn't sure quite where to start, but at the same time, subtlety was never her forte.

"So…what was that all about? I didn't think you were coming…" Yuffie asked bluntly without trying to be too prying.

"I don't know…" Kairi said, dipping her head a bit. "I didn't want to go, but at the same time…I didn't want to see Sora leave again, especially after what he said at the funeral…"

"About not coming back?" Yuffie asked. "Can you really blame him?"

"I know he wants to stop the guy who killed Riku…I get it…I just don't see why he would say something so…selfish."

Yuffie's eyes widened for a moment, and then she let out a sharp sigh, shaking her head.

"Selfish? Are you listening to yourself right now?" Yuffie asked, seeming a bit annoyed with her.

"Well, what would you call it?"

"I thought it was brave of him. It showed he wasn't scared of what lay ahead."

Kairi rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, real brave to leave home when people need you the most. I swear, Yuffie, that boyfriend of yours is a real jerk sometimes…"

Yuffie had had enough; Sora was her friend…he didn't deserve this. It was time for her to be brutally honest with Kairi.

"And just what the hell would you call yourself?" Yuffie asked sharply.

"Wh…what?" Kairi's voice became quiet, a look of shock crossing her face as Yuffie's words made her head snap up.

"Kairi, I love you to death…you're like a sister to me…but you need to wake the hell up! Do you _remember_ the things you said to Sora the night Riku died?"

"Well…_yeah_…but…" Kairi choked out, her voice quivering with a touch of fear.

"Who the hell would want to stick around after that? The fact that Sephiroth just happened to kill the one person in the world that Sora thought of as a brother doesn't seem to register with you, either. It's all about how _you_ feel, right?"

"No…"

"Really? You blamed Sora for everything! You blamed him for Riku's death, told him it was a mistake for him to have come home after being gone all those years…you even told him you wished he was dead! The same guy that went through hell to get back home to you! And what did he find when he got here, Kairi? He saw you and Riku ready to get married! 'Oh, well Sora's probably dead by now, let's get married, he'd want that for us'. Seriously, Kairi, what the fuck?"

"But…it wasn't like that…"

"I know that, Kairi…I know Riku was there for you and offered you comfort and you two got close…I get that. But for once could you think about this from Sora's point of view? Do you have any idea how broken hearted he was? How betrayed he felt? And then you set him up on a date with me! Next time, kick him in the balls…it probably would have hurt less."

"I thought…you and Sora…"

Yuffie took a deep breath, trying to calm down. Kairi looked to be on the verge of tears, which made Yuffie feel bad enough, but this _needed_ to be said, no matter the amount of tears that were spilled because of it.

"Kairi, you really have absolutely no idea, do you?"

"What…?"

"Yes, you know what, I do love Sora…he one of the greatest guys I've ever met and if it weren't for you, the two of us wouldn't have become such close friends…but that's all we are Kairi; friends. I love him…but, not in that way."

Yuffie took another deep breath; what she was about to say was something Sora made her promise not to tell Kairi, but she needed to hear this…and Yuffie just hoped that Sora would understand and be able to forgive her for it.

"The only time that Sora has ever looked at me with love in his eyes…deep, passionate, unconditional love…was the day we first met in Traverse Town…when he thought that I was _you_."

Kairi's eyes went wide with shock.

"What?" Kairi asked, her voice absolutely stunned.

"You honestly mean to tell me that you've _never_ seen it? Never even _realized_ it?"

Kairi's open mouth unable to speak was all the answer Yuffie needed.

"Sora is in love with you, Kairi…completely and utterly in love with you. He has been since the two of you were kids!"

"Sora…loves _me_?"

"Yes, Kairi; Sora loves you." Yuffie's voice was starting to become calm and soothing again

She walked over to Kairi, kneeling beside her, placing her hand on her shoulder.

"He always has." Yuffie added.

Kairi hung her head, closing her eyes and taking a shuddered breath. How could she not have seen it before…said those things to him? Kairi felt absolutely horrible, and although Yuffie would have never intentionally hurt Kairi, part of her didn't regret how she felt right now.

"Riku and I…" Kairi started. "There was always such compassion there…such comfort. He never pressured me into anything; we were going to wait…until after we got married."

Yuffie just sat and listened, listening to her friend's confession.

"I think he knew…he knew one day, Sora would return. Whenever we kissed…I mean, it was comforting, but…that was it. I loved Riku, I truly did…but…my heart…always ached for Sora…always wanted him to come home to me."

Yuffie understood all too well; it was the same way when she had kissed Sora. To say it meant nothing would be a lie, but it wasn't the kind of kiss that set your heart on fire. That's how Yuffie knew that her feelings for Sora would never be more than a treasured friendship.

"And when Sora kissed you all those years ago? What did you feel then?" Yuffie asked.

For a moment, Kairi just sat and thought about that kiss…that brief moment that had been shared between the two of them.

"I felt…alive." Kairi admitted. "I felt like I was floating on air…like he was breathing fire into me…I felt…"

"Like nothing else mattered?" Yuffie almost answered for her.

Kairi smiled sadly and nodded.

"He's been thinking of that kiss every day for the last three years…" Yuffie revealed. "It's all he ever thinks about…whenever he sees you."

Tears spilled freely from Kairi's eyes, a few drops here and there. Yuffie wrapped her arms around her in a hug, and that's when the floodgates opened and Kairi began to cry freely.

"Oh God, Yuffie…" she said through broken sobs. "What have I done?"

…..

The apprehension in the air was palpable as Sora, Cloud, and Exsul walked down the long burgundy carpet towards King Mickey's throne room. They knew he wasn't exactly happy with the way they had left before, but that mattered little now. Something had to be done about Sephiroth, and it needed to be done now. He stood from his throne as they approached, hands clasped behind his back, his face looking solemn. The Trinity bowed before him respectfully as they approached.

"I'm glad to see that you're all safe." King Mickey said, almost without emotion.

"We lost Riku…" Sora explained sadly. "And Sephiroth got away."

"I see." King Mickey said, turning to his side. "We've been tracking him…it wasn't easy; we've lost many scouts because of it."

"So you've found him?" Cloud asked hopefully. "Where is he?"

"I've given the coordinates to Cid. He should be able to guide you there." Mickey explained, something missing from his usual tone.

"Something troubles you, Majesty." Exsul said, more of a statement than a question.

"Sora…" Mickey started. "I want you to stay behind."

"What?" Sora exploded. "You have _got_ to be kidding!"

"You are too deeply involved…too emotionally connected to this matter to go on this mission." The King explained. "Cloud and Exsul will be able to handle Sephiroth."

The three of them looked at each other in disbelief.

"Majesty, with all due respect," Cloud interjected. "We cannot do this without Sora."

"I understand your feelings on this, Cloud, and the only reason you are still here is because your thoughts on the matter of Sephiroth are clear. The Keybearer is a symbol of justice and peace for this kingdom, _not_ revenge."

"That's a load of crap!" Sora exclaimed. "Riku was your friend, too! Everything he and I have done for you over the years and this is how you honor his memory?"

"And what do you suppose Riku would do in _your_ position, Sora? Fly blindly into battle seeking vengeance?" Mickey retorted, cutting him a sideways glance.

"It's questions like that that make me realize that you knew _nothing_ about Riku, and you know nothing of me for that matter." Sora retorted. "I'm going after Sephiroth; with or without the Keyblade, and with or without your consent!"

King Mickey's eyes widened, although he tried to hide it; he had never heard the Keybearer talk like this before. There was a determination…a confidence in his voice that he'd never heard.

"For years I have served you…and what have I ever asked of you in return?" Sora asked, his voice growing steadily more annoyed. "Because of your quests, all of your damned missions; I've missed out on _my_ life…and it's all been in the name of the proud King Mickey. What have you ever done for _me_, Highness?"

Cloud had never heard this side to Sora before, either, but nonetheless smirked to himself; Sora reminded Cloud of himself.

"I'm going to find Sephiroth, end of discussion. And if you don't like it, Mickey, then with all due respect…" Sora turned on his heel, walking away from the condescending King. "You can go fuck yourself."

King Mickey and Exsul's jaws all but his the floor. Cloud, on the other hand, laughed and shook his head. Mickey looked at him in disbelief; Cloud responded by leaning back on his heel and placing his hand on his hip in a cocky pose.

"Hey, _he's_ the Keybearer. You want this taken care of or not?" Cloud asked, turning on his heel and walking after Sora. "Coming, Exsul?"

"Right behind you." Exsul answered, turning to look at the shocked King Mickey. "He's right, you know. Everything he has done for this kingdom, all of the justice he's delivered…I think you can allow him one solitary act of vengeance."

With that, Exsul quietly followed them. King Mickey stood silently for a moment before letting out a small chuckle, shaking his head.

"Looks like our Sora's all grown up…" Mickey said to himself.


	12. Life Is Beautiful

**A/N: A quick disclaimer, I don't own the song in this chapter, I just found it fitting given the situation. I'll put all the legal mumbo-jumbo in the next chapter so I don't get sued. Anyway, if you have any guesses as to whom the song is written by, please feel free to write it in your review. People who guess correctly will get a cookie. OK, maybe not, but still…R&R!**

The large, flat screen monitor in the common area of _The Bahamut_ flickered to life, displaying a vast map of the galaxy. Everything looked just as it should, save for the now empty void where the Deep Jungle once was. The sight made Sora's skin crawl as he stared at it with a voided gaze; so many had lost so much in such a short amount of time. A section of the displayed map near the right-most edge of the monitor became highlighted, and the image zoomed in to reveal what looked like a small moon, a dark and foreboding cave perched upon its surface neatly with tall jagged rocks lining the top of it. The moon itself seemed to have an eerie glow to it, barely noticeable behind wisps of darkness lazily trailing around its atmosphere.

"I'm surprised they found it so quickly." Cloud said, leaning closer to the image to get a better look.

"Apparently, it was found by one of the survey teams." Cid explained, pulling an almost completely burned out cigarette butt from between his teeth, grinding it forcefully into a nearby ashtray.

"Survey teams?" Sora asked quietly, stepping closer to the monitor to get a better look.

"Yeah, those guys who go out into deep space to try and find new worlds." Cid explained in a gravelly voice, placing a fresh cigarette between his lips. "This was the last known transmission they broadcasted before they were destroyed. The coordinates are an approximate, but nonetheless, it's the best we've got."

"Anything is better than nothing…" Exsul added flatly.

"How long will it take us to get there, Cid?" Cloud asked.

Cid flicked his lighter open, lighting the cigarette and taking a deep drag before exhaling thru his nostrils.

"Best estimate, at full speed…about a month." He answered a bit regretfully.

"A month?" Sora asked, slightly annoyed. "Sephiroth could level the whole galaxy in that amount of time!"

"Hey, whaddaya want from me? You can always walk!" Cid replied in a gruff roar.

"Just do your best to get us there as quickly as possible." Cloud said, raising a hand to cut him off. "Besides, a month should give us plenty of time."

"Plenty of time for what, exactly?" Sora asked pointedly.

Cloud beckoned for Sora and Exsul to follow him. Just down a narrow corridor, past the sleeping quarters, was a room with a large metal door at its entrance. The door slid open mechanically as Cloud approached, leading them inside. Immediately, rows of fluorescent lighting that lined the walls lit up, revealing a large open area.

"This is a training room; it has everything we need in order to get ready for the battle with Sephiroth."

"Training?" Sora asked, seeming a little stunned. "Why do we need training? I'm ready to take anything Sephiroth throws at me!"

"Very well…" Cloud said as he drew his sword, slowly turning to face Sora. "Attack me."

"What?" Sora asked with a shocked look on his face.

"Attack me…" Cloud repeated. "Attack me as you would attack Sephiroth."

A bit reluctantly, Sora drew his Keyblade, taking a fighting stance. Getting a firm double-handed grip on it, he charged at Cloud. Cloud's sword was nearly as big as he was and looked bulky and heavy; nonetheless, Cloud struck out with the flat of the blade with lightning quickness, catching Sora squarely in the gut. The Keybearer doubled over, placing a hand over where Cloud's strike landed, letting out a few gasping coughs as he did so. The strike wasn't so much hard as it was incapacitating, knocking the wind out of Sora's lungs. Cloud stepped over to Sora, his sword resting easily across his shoulders; looking down at him with an "I told you so" look in his eyes and offering him a hand, which Sora accepted as Cloud pulled him to his feet.

"You still have much to learn, Keybearer." Cloud said matter-of-factly. "But I will help you."

"As will I." Exsul said, stepping forward.

Sora tried to hide a sheepish smile as he caught his breath, dropping back into a fighting stance, with Cloud following suit.

…..

Skinny fingers slowly twisted the knob to the front door; she knew that he wouldn't be there, but something inside her silently wished that he would be. The door was unlocked, as usual, and only a single dim light came from a room in the back of the house. Kairi stepped inside, looking around the living room as she did so, and closing the door softly behind her. The place seemed so empty and dark, all but devoid of the usual brightness and comfort that she was accustomed; it was as if Sora had taken it with him when he left. She heard herself call out his name a few times, hoping that his voice would answer even though she knew it wouldn't. Kairi walked gently down the hallway towards the only dim lighting that greeted her as she entered, almost tiptoeing as if not to disturb someone that she knew wasn't there. Her hands reached out, pushing softly on the door that was only slightly open, finding her way to the source of illumination; Sora's bedroom. The light was coming from a small desk tucked away into the corner, an office lamp casting a soft glow over the entire room. For a while she just stood in the threshold, looking about as if trying to memorize the entirety of his room, before crossing over to the desk and placing her hands on the back of the chair. There was a round trashcan parked beside the desk with several crumpled pieces of paper tossed inside. The top of the desk was neatly organized; a notepad with a fresh piece of white paper staring back at her, a row of old style pens lined up neatly to its right. What caught Kairi's attention the most was a neatly folded piece of paper placed near the corner of the desk, as if sat there on purpose. She sat down in the chair, not sure if she should read it or not; it could be nothing…then again, it could be everything. Her hand moved slowly, automatically, and picked it up gently from the corner, unfolding it carefully. The words on it were printed in beautiful calligraphy and flowed together like a song or poem. She had never known Sora to write so beautifully, but then again, it had been a while since she had seen him write anything. Her curiosity got the better of her, and she started to read it.

_You can't quit until you try_

_You can't live until you die_

_You can't learn to tell the truth_

_Until you learn to lie_

_You can't breathe until you choke_

_You gotta laugh when you're the joke_

_There's nothing like a funeral to make you feel alive_

_Just open your eyes_

_Just open your eyes and see that_

_Life is beautiful._

_Will you swear on your life,_

_That no one will cry_

_At my funeral?_

_I know some things that you don't_

_I've done things that you won't_

_There's nothing like a trail of blood_

_To find your way back home_

_I was waiting for my hearse_

_What came next was so much worse_

_It took a funeral to make me feel alive_

_Just open your eyes_

_Just open your eyes and see that_

_Life is beautiful._

_Will you swear on your life,_

_That no one will cry_

_At my funeral?_

The words on the page hit Kairi like a ton of bricks as she absently dropped the piece of paper from her hand. She realized all too well the pain and torment that Sora had been feeling since the moment he came home three months ago; the hope of returning home to her after all those years, seeing her engaged to Riku, leaving home once again and returning to find Riku dead…and Kairi blaming him for it. Her mind flashed back to that glance they shared the day he came home; the wounded look in his eyes that she had seen so briefly before he hid it away inside himself. He had been hiding it since that day, smothering it behind a veil that he prayed she wouldn't see through. There was no doubt in her mind now that her words…her actions…had wounded him deeper than any cut or bruise he would have ever suffered in battle. The death of Riku had pushed him over a knife's edge he had been teetering on since his return; now he was focused…determined…heading in to battle to conquer an enemy that had taken what little he had left from him in an instant.

_He had nothing to lose_.

She closed her eyes as tears began to fall down her cheeks. She wanted, more than anything, to see that bright smile of his again…the sparkling glow of those ocean blue eyes peering into her soul and melting her heart…above all else, she wanted to tell him how sorry she was. He didn't deserve the berating she had given him, and he deserved his broken-hearted betrayal even less. She thought about how his heart had sheltered hers from the darkness and how he went through so much to bring her back, and to come back to her. With a heavy sigh, she opened her eyes, attempting to refocus them. It was then she noticed something her eyes had failed to catch before; hanging above the desk was an impressive display that made a smile cross her lips and warmth flood in to her. It was a beautiful collage spread across a large piece of black matte board; pictures of happier times strewn across in no particular pattern. There were several of Sora, Riku, and Kairi throughout the years of their youth along with several of Riku and Sora making silly faces and the like. There was one that showed a day at the beach; Wakka and Riku were hip-deep in the surf, Sora was perched on Riku's shoulders and Tidus on Wakka's, reaching towards one another and trying to knock each other over. There was another of Sora standing in the middle with a big goofy grin on his face, clutching a wooden sword and standing triumphantly over a winded looking Wakka and a pouting Tidus, which made Kairi giggle. What stood out the most from any of the pictures were the number of photos of Kairi; different ages, different poses, some with her and Sora both and some with just her by herself. There was one in the center, obviously the favorite of Sora's photos, which showed the two of them sitting on the beach. They couldn't have been more than eight years old at the time it had been taken; Sora was shyly holding out a little pink flower, offering it to a blushing Kairi with her hand over her mouth to hide a huge smile. Kairi looked at the photograph for a while, smiling widely and tears rolling down her cheeks freely. Directly under the picture, was something written in the same beautiful calligraphy.

_I Do It For Them_

It was simple and beautiful all at the same time. The Coup De Grace of the entire piece was just below it; an exact replica of the cave drawing down at their secret spot in the cove, showing Sora and Kairi feeding a paopu fruit to each other.

Kairi's heart melted at the sight. She realized just how much he cared, even if he never came out and said it. She mentally kicked herself for being too blind to see it before, being too preoccupied with whatever life had decided to put in her way. She crossed the room to Sora's bed; the covers were still pulled back and the bed had obviously not been made before he left, which made her giggle a little. As much of a clean freak as Sora usually was, he had always hated making the bed. She reached her hand down, smoothing a few wrinkles out of the sheets before lying down on her back, staring up at the ceiling. Grabbing a pillow from behind her head, she hugged it across her chest. The smell was intoxicating and at the same time soothing; a mix of rosemary and mint, and something else…something masculine but not overpowering that no cologne could ever come close to matching; it was Sora's scent. She inhaled it deeply, holding it in her nostrils and smiling blissfully as she exhaled. Within moments, she was fast asleep.

**Kind of a short chapter, but I wanted to make this more devoted to Kairi, as she's been kinda left out lately. Please read and review!**


	13. Sora's Training

**A/N: The song in the previous chapter was "Life Is Beautiful" by Sixx AM (I don't own nor did I write the song, and therefore make no claims to the effect). Thanks to all of the loyal readers out there, I hope you're enjoying the story so far. Special thanks to ParadiseAvenger for her recommendation! If you haven't read her fanfics yet, you are seriously missing out! I would highly suggest taking the time to read and review them; they are all very much worth it! Without further ado, here's Chapter 13!**

It was day two of Sora's training aboard _The Bahamut_, and already, he wasn't looking forward to the next twenty-eight. To say the least, Cloud was relentless, but at the same time extremely patient with the Keybearer. Having just finished another exhausting session, Sora knelt before his self-appointed teachers, leaning heavily upon the Keyblade for support and taking deep breaths to lower his racing pulse. Cloud stood opposite of Sora, his Buster Sword fastened securely to his back, while Exsul had taken to leaning up against the nearby wall, silently watching their sparring and taking mental notes of everything he had seen. Sora wasn't exactly sure what role Exsul would be playing in his preparation for the inevitable battle with Sephiroth; whatever it was, all the Keybearer could do was hope that it wasn't nearly as physically taxing on his body. Sora stood shakily to his feet, his Keyblade sheathed into nothingness, awaiting the next lesson.

"You cannot attack Sephiroth with raw emotion," Cloud began, his voice calm yet confident. "Sephiroth feeds off of things like rage, anger, hate…they only make him stronger; and he will not hesitate to use them against you. He is as much a psychological threat as he is a physical one."

"You mean…the things he said on the beach that night?" Sora asked, his voice sounding slightly winded.

Cloud nodded, lowering his head and closing his eyes slowly.

"He has this way of…I don't know how to put it…seeing into your mind, I guess." Cloud explained with a heavy sigh. "Everything you hold dear…everything you cherish…Sephiroth desires nothing more than to take it from you. The more he feeds your fear…your hatred…the easier it is for him to manipulate you. He could defeat you physically, but in his mind, breaking you mentally and emotionally is that much greater of a victory."

"He did the same thing to me…to _all_ of us on that beach, Sora," Exsul spoke up. "We have all been touched by darkness before. If Sephiroth were to break our strength of will, there would be nothing to stop him from destroying the galaxy and attaining his goals of ultimate power."

Sora laced his fingers together behind his head, leaning back and looking up at the ceiling with an exhausted sigh. In the past, his enemies were dealt with simply with a minimal amount of strategy involved, but Sephiroth was a different adversary entirely. There had been this nagging feeling in the back of his mind ever since his confrontation with Sephiroth back on Destiny Islands, a sentiment that had been so difficult to bury; this new enemy had driven him insane with fury, exposing just how much darkness he had developed in his heart. Even his confrontation with King Mickey weighed heavily upon him, even though he had dwelled on that little compared to his actions on the island. With the death of Riku fresh on Sora's mind, the way he had savagely attacked the Heartless seemed justified at the time; now all it did was prove to Sora just how far he had to go before confronting this new foe. He couldn't let Sephiroth destroy what Sora cherished the most; he had already lost his memories once before, and he wasn't about to lose them again.

"No more training for today, Sora." Cloud said quietly. "Get some rest. We'll pick up again tomorrow morning."

Sora nodded, stretching his arms out to the side and arching his back with a grinding of stiffened muscle. He left to go to his room almost immediately; he had been training with minimal rest, pushing himself in order to prove himself to Cloud and Exsul that he was ready. Knowing now just how far he still had to go did little to ease his mind, however, a good night's sleep seemed like just the reprieve he needed to recharge his depleted batteries. Within seconds of flopping down face first on the bed, Sora was sound asleep.

Cloud, on the other hand, seemed to be troubled for the first time since accepting this mission. As he walked slowly towards the door, his gaze never lifted. Exsul stopped him just before he reached the door.

"He'll be fine, Cloud." Exsul said simply in a smooth voice.

"I know." Cloud responded, his voice somewhat heavy. "I have every faith in Sora."

"Then what is it?" Exsul asked.

Cloud breathed a heavy sigh, placing a hand out on the doorway and leaning against it.

"His heart is so much heavier than it was when I first met him. He was so much more alive back then…and now…" Cloud shook his head a bit. "I just hope that when this is all over, he doesn't lose who he is."

"You mean…how you once did?" Exsul inquired, quirking a brow.

Cloud just simply nodded, stepping out of the training room and walking towards his living quarters.

…..

In the blink of an eye, the night had passed and morning once again broke. Sora, much to the surprise of his two companions, was already waiting for them in the training room, completing a few warm up stretches as they entered the sliding metal door. He had woken up early that morning, staring out the small window of his room. The worst part of space travel was the lack of any definition of sunrise; the black of space and the few stars that peeked out now and then always made him miss the sun-drenched shores of Destiny Islands. Sora silently vowed to never take for granted again another sunrise (or sunset, for that matter) when he returned home. There was no longer a question of _if_ he would return; failure was not an option in his mind, and he would make good on his promise by not returning home until every trace of Sephiroth had been erased. As Cloud walked in, the heavy weight that hung over him seemed to fade away completely in the night, returning once again to the confident warrior he always was. Within a few minutes of his entrance, Exsul followed closely behind, reclaiming his spot against the wall and observing the two of them silently. Cloud faced his back to Sora, slowly drawing his sword as Sora readied his Keyblade.

"I want you to try something different today, Sora," Cloud began. "Ease up on your strikes; they are much too heavy and uneven."

Sora nodded, relaxing the tight grip on his Keyblade, using only his right hand to wield it.

"Your blade is an extension of your body," Cloud explained, turning to face him. "Use it like a feather, not a stick; light and deliberate. Allow your strikes to flow from your shoulder down to the tip of your fingers…visualize your move, then execute."

With that, Cloud took up his fighting stance, darting towards Sora with a few slashes and thrusts of his sword. The first few parries of Cloud's strikes nearly knocked the Keyblade from Sora's hands; taking a deep breath, Sora adjusted his strategy to compensate for Cloud's lightning-fast blows, being careful not to over-exert his swing. When Cloud's next volley of slashes came, Sora matched him blow for blow with an ease that surprised the former SOLDIER hopeful.

"Good," Cloud whispered under his breath, dropping back into his fighting stance again. "Now, go on the offensive…"

Sora sprang forward with an overhead swing, trying to keep the arc of the motion to a minimum as opposed to the wild curve he usually took. Cloud had the move scouted, yet anticipated the larger range of motion, barely catching the teeth of the Keyblade with the edge of his sword. A small smirk tugged at the corner of Sora's mouth, which he promptly tried to hide from Cloud.

"Don't get cocky…" Cloud said with a grunt as he pushed forward with his blade, knocking Sora back a few steps.

At this, Sora became slightly frustrated, his strikes reflecting as such. His blows became more erratic, losing the previous rhythm they once had. Cloud readily took advantage of this, steadily getting in closer to Sora with each swing of his blade, until their blades crossed mere inches from each other. Cloud locked Sora's blade in place, shifting his hands to the side so as to drop Sora's guard, and surprised him with a stiff backhand. Cloud's strike wasn't so much hard, the point of which not to hurt Sora; however, the strike landed firmly across his face, stinging the flesh, and making Sora stumble back onto one knee to brace himself. The surprise on Sora's face quickly shifted into irritation, something sparking in those wild blue eyes of his. As Cloud approached with a downward swing of his blade, Sora's left hand instinctively shot up. There was a quick clink of metal on metal, stopping Cloud's downward motion instantly. Cloud's eyes shot open in surprise, the grip on his blade suddenly turning his knuckles white as he stared in disbelief. For a moment, Sora was unsure of what exactly had startled Cloud; or for that matter, what Sora had actually done to stop the attack. Sora's eyes suddenly sprung open, as if they were going to jump from his sockets; in his left hand he tightly clutched a Keyblade not unlike the one in his right. Shiny black metal replaced the bright silver of his usual blade, the crossguard a deep blood red. The blade itself looked like the twisted branch of a tree in the dead of winter, curving inward at the tip and creating deep and angular notches. Sora's arm became wrapped in small wispy trails of darkness, the sight of which made his blood run cold.

_The Dark Keyblade; the very same that had pierced Sora's heart._

Sora's jaw fell open in shock, staring at the blade in his hand for a minute before dropping it hastily as if the handle were on fire. The blade fell to the floor with a loud clang; Sora and Cloud just stared at it in shock while Exsul's façade remained expressionless, as if he had been expecting to see it.

"What…what the hell…?" Sora managed to stutter out.

"A Dark Keyblade? How is that possible?" Cloud asked, eyes wide and voice strained with disbelief.

"It used to belong to Riku." Sora answered, watching as it dematerialized on the floor as if melting through it.

Cloud's eyes widened even more and they darted towards Sora, looking as if he was ready to speak when Exsul stepped forward.

"Riku must have passed it to you when he died." Exsul interjected in an icy calm voice.

Sora's mind flashed back to the night Riku died, clutching his hand between both of his. He had thought he felt something, like a bolt of static electricity, but paid it no mind…his thoughts were focused elsewhere at the time.

"But…" Sora started, turning slowly to face Exsul. "Riku destroyed the darkness in his heart. Why would he still have it?"

"Once touched by darkness, a person's heart is never truly cured of it." Exsul explained simply. "Think of it like _your_ Keyblade; it's always a part of you, no matter how hard you try to get rid of it."

"Then, does this mean Sora's heart is…succumbing to darkness? I mean, you have to have darkness in your heart to wield the Dark Keyblade, right?" Cloud asked, the look of shock fading.

"All this means," Exsul began reassuringly. "Is that Sora will need to learn to control the darkness in his heart."

Exsul strode up behind Sora, placing a hand gently on his left shoulder.

"I will train him to do so." Exsul added.

All Cloud could do was nod, taking a deep breath to calm himself. Exsul seemed to have more knowledge on the darkness, and for that matter, the Dark Keyblade than Cloud had. Sora turned his head slowly, glancing over his shoulder at Exsul, his tension seeming to fade for the moment. Sora's eyes, however, told a different story. The recurring nightmare seemed to be coming true, and that very thought scared the hell out of the young Keybearer.

_The closer you get to the light, the bigger your shadow becomes…_

Sora shook his head as if trying to rattle the thought loose from his very mind.

"Let's get started then." Sora said with an almost bizarre confidence.

"I'll need time to prepare." Exsul said, leveling his gaze with Sora's. "Please, wait outside…I'll come and get you when I'm ready."

Cloud opened his mouth to protest, but Sora simply stepped forward, raising a hand to stop him.

"It's okay, Cloud…" Sora said reassuringly. "Please…I need to figure this out before we go any further."

The blond-haired fighter nodded; he understood all too well, as a matter of fact. Securing his sword behind his back, he followed Sora out of the training room, the door sliding shut securely behind them.

…..

Sora took a deep breath as he approached the door to the training room, waiting outside for a few minutes before entering. The appearance of the Dark Keyblade weighed heavily on his mind; while waiting in his room, he had produced it a few times just to affirm the reality of its existence. It still seemed surreal to him, as if he was trapped in a dream from which he could not awaken. As the mechanical door slid open, Sora peered into the room before entering. It had been completely transformed from the usual bright and sterile appearance; the intense white of the fluorescent lighting was completely extinguished, replaced by a neat circle of soft-burning indigo flames that seemed to come from nowhere. In the center, Exsul sat cross-legged, suspended in mid air a few feet above the floor. His crimson eyes peeled open as Sora entered, glowing faintly against the swaying light.

"Welcome, Sora." He greeted, his voice relaxed. "Please, come in."

Sora stepped forward a bit cautiously until he was in the center of the room, sitting cross-legged on the floor across from Exsul.

"Have you ever tried meditation, Sora?" Exsul asked.

"I can't say that I have…" Sora answered, his voice a bit skeptical.

"I'm sure you think it's a waste of time, given the current situation…but I can assure you, this is as much an important part of your training as honing your skills with the Keyblade."

"How so?" Sora asked, quirking a brow.

"In order to defeat Sephiroth, you must first conquer the darkness in your heart." Exsul explained, peering down at the Keybearer. "Only then, can you truly understand and embrace your light."

Sora bowed his head, closing his eyes for a moment. His light seemed so far away now; every emotion he had felt since returning home had brought out darkness in him, even if only in small and unnoticeable amounts.

"I look at you, Sora, and I see someone who has lost his faith…" Exsul explained, his voice surprisingly soothing compared to the icily emotionless tone it usually carried. "Your doubt…your aching heart…your grief…I see it in you plain as day, no matter how hard you try to hide it from the outside world."

Sora's eyes slid open, lifting his head to look at Exsul.

"How do you know so much about me?" He asked inquisitively. "You and I barely know each other…"

"Because you are not so different from me, Sora…the way I used to be before I rid my heart of the darkness that clouded it." The sorcerer answered. "You feel responsible for the way your life has played out recently; the loss of your friend Riku, the pain and anger felt by your friend Kairi…even the heartbreak of coming home to see that she had moved on in your absence."

Sora fought the urge to retort; there was no need to argue with him…he was absolutely right.

"My nightmares…" Sora began, his voice sounding weak all of a sudden. "It's the same one I've had since returning home…the same fear that keeps recurring in the back of my mind…"

"That you're losing yourself to the darkness?" Exsul asked simply.

Sora was silent for a moment, then nodded, lowering his head.

"You are much stronger than you realize, Keybearer," Exsul continued. "The fact that you recognize this fear shows your willingness to extinguish it."

"How…?" Sora started to ask, his voice sounding as if he already knew the answer.

"By using that fear…by turning it into something…_more_. Something useful, even powerful. Only then can you face the darkness in your heart without being consumed by it."

Sora nodded, Exsul lowering himself to stand on his own two feet. He walked forward, placing a hand on Sora's shoulder.

"I will leave you to it, then…take as much time as you need." He said before stepping silently to the door, leaving Sora in the circle of flame by himself.

Sora shook his head, trying to rattle loose the cobwebs in his mind. Taking a slow breath, he closed his eyes slowly, allowing himself to slip into a deep and dreamlike trance.

_Sora's eyes shot open with a start. His pulse was rapid and thundering against his chest. He slowly rose from the bed, dragged himself to the bathroom, flipped on the light, and went immediately to the sink. He turned on the cold water, cupped his hands underneath the flow, and splashed the water on his face a few times before slowly lifting his gaze to stare at himself in the mirror. The reflection in the mirror grinned evilly at him, and its eyes shifted from calm blue to burning amber. There was a small spot of what looked like black ink on Sora's cheek. He tried to wipe it off, but to no avail; the black spot began to spread, coating every inch of his body until he was washed out completely in pitch darkness. Without warning, the reflection hauled back, punched straight through the mirror, reaching its clawed fingers out towards Sora's throat. Instinctively, Sora's hand immediately shot up, catching the creature's hand around the wrist. The creature from the mirror struggled against him, pulling wildly to free itself, baring its stark-white teeth at Sora with a low rumbling growl. In an instant, the scene around the two of them shattered into billions of shards of glass, crumbling to dust around their feet. Sora glanced around in awe, noticing that they were now standing on the beach where he had confronted Sephiroth; the sky was dark, completely absent of stars, and a full moon cast an eerie yet soft glow on everything around them. The dark figure was in an instant standing a good distance from Sora, hunched over and seething with gritted teeth and burning eyes, ready to strike at a moment's notice. Sora found his Keyblade in hand, but did not raise it in defense; he simply stood, still and calm, awaiting the creature's next move. The creature lunged threateningly at Sora a few times, as if trying to intimidate him into attacking, but Sora didn't budge._

"_I am not afraid of you…" Sora said simply, which only enraged the creature further._

_With a guttural roar, the creature darted for Sora, reaching its arm back to strike; still, the Keybearer did not budge. Just inches from Sora, the creature stopped dead in its tracks, eyes wide and mouth gaping open. A crack formed along the length of its torso, brilliant white light peeking through. A look of panic crossed the creature's face, and again it tried to attack Sora, only to shatter like a dropped vase, light exploding from within. Sora closed his eyes gently, and felt the warmth of the sun on his face. Opening his eyes, he saw the crystal blue sky of his home and a brilliant yellow sun shining above him. A hand reached out from behind him, gripping his shoulder lightly with muscular fingers. A deep yet smooth voice spoke to him…_

"_You did it, Sora…I'm proud of you."_

Sora's eyes shot open, darting around to take in his surroundings; he was back in the training room, still sitting upon the floor and encircled by the gentle flames. He breathed a relieved sigh, feeling like a tremendous weight had been lifted from him. Gently closing his eyes once more, he felt a single tear trickle down his cheek as he remembered the soft words spoken to him only moments ago, and let a few of his own escape his lips under his breath…

"Thank you, brother…"


	14. Light & Dark

**A/N: Sorry for the delay between chapters, been feeling a little under the weather lately.**

The darkness has always been there, for as long as anyone can remember. It always seems to be the most daunting of enemies; consuming those who cannot (or will not) fight against it and proving a burden to those who seek to rise above it. Cloud and Exsul were prime examples of this internal struggle, each of them with their own separate yet equal history…maybe that was why being grouped with them contented Sora; because they were all, in their own ways, so much alike.

The ring of indigo flames still swayed back and forth in a gentle and non-existent breeze, casting a soft glow on the Training Room. Sora sat and stared at his hands for a moment, having just broken out of the trance he was in. Hours had already passed, yet to the Keybearer, felt like a fleeting moment. In an instant the nightmare he had feared for so long had manifested before his very eyes, enveloping him in the suffocating darkness; he was able to control it this time…bring it under his control. When that dark being from the mirror of Sora's heart manifested before him he felt more in control than he had in a long while, even as it bared its teeth and lunged for him. Sora didn't attack it…he _couldn't_ attack it; something reached up inside him and stayed his hand, calming him and telling him to stop. It wasn't until the darkness broke and Sora came back from his trance that he realized the truth; fear could not be conquered by strength of blade, but by strength of will. The fear had gripped him for so long, weighing him down and waking him in the dead of night; the fear of giving in to darkness. Even though relief had woven itself through Sora's weary bones, there was something nagging at him in the back of his mind; the Dark Keyblade. Riku had passed it to Sora for a reason, and right now, Sora wished with everything that he knew what it was. As he stood, he drew both Keyblades from the ether; his original Keyblade in his right hand, shining brightly and seeming to dance with the faint light surrounding him, and the Dark Keyblade in his left, wrapping his arm in trails of black mist that seemed to douse the light out altogether. He breathed a heavy sigh and hung his head for a moment.

"Riku, I really wish you would tell me what I'm supposed to do with this…" Sora muttered under his breath.

He held the opposing blades out in front of him, studying their contrasting effects on his surroundings; it was as if he had one eye closed…the sight was, to say the least, a bit disorienting. Without warning, the two blades began to shake in Sora's hands, drawing steadily towards each other as if magnetized, and then violently repelling one another as they came inches from touching. Sora gripped each blade firmly, arms outstretched to the sides, and placed a knee on the floor in front of him to maintain his balance. Darting his eyes back and forth, he took a few breaths, hefting himself up to his feet and lowering his hands down to his sides.

"It is only natural…" Exsul's voice called from behind him, making him jump a bit.

Sora whirled around to face the enigmatic sorcerer who seemed to appear from nowhere.

"What would that be?" Sora asked as his eyes narrowed slightly.

"Your two Keyblades…they long to be unified under a single host, yet their natures keep them apart." Exsul explained, stepping from the shadows as the soft flame began to highlight his features.

"Great…" Sora muttered with a roll of his eyes. "This doesn't remind me of my home life at _all_…"

Exsul smirked then crossed the room to stand before him.

"The Dark Keyblade was created to be the antithesis of everything that your Keyblade is." Exsul stated. "They both reside in your heart, and will both continue to struggle for dominance…unless…"

"Unless you can unite them…" Cloud's voice called as he, too, stepped from the shadows.

"How…" Sora instinctively began, then cut himself off sharply, letting out a ragged sigh.

"You'll find a way," Cloud said calmly, walking up beside Sora and placing a hand upon his shoulder. "I…_we_…have faith in you."

The two of his companions turned and walked away, disappearing into the shadows from whence they came. Sora spirited both of the Keyblades away, reclaiming his seat in the center of the floor. Crossing his legs and folding his hands into his lap, Sora took a deep breath, closing his eyes slowly.

…..

_The sky above was set ablaze as the sun began to set, sparkling off of the white beach sand like it was made of diamonds. The water of the ocean was still and glassy, in fact, it didn't seem to be moving at all as if frozen in time. Sora stood, sand trickling from his clothes as he rose. Deep blue glowing eyes scanned the area as he hesitantly took a few steps, sand pooling and rising around the soles of his boots as he did so. Sora's Keyblade was clutched lightly in his hand, his shadow casting long across the sand of the beach, a dark echo of his every move. Something shifted gently behind him, catching Sora's attention as he slowly glanced warily over his shoulder. As he turned around, the cast shadow mirrored his movement, the sand pooled and drifted inward and began to rise from the earth. The mound began to grow until it was the exact height of Sora, slowly taking form and manifesting into a figure not unlike the mirror image of his fear. This figure was different, not in appearance, but in its overall aura; the shadow completed itself, its form becoming smooth and defined, clutching the Dark Keyblade just as lightly in its opposite hand. Sora remained calm, leveling his gaze as his shadow mimicked his every move._

"_We don't have to do this…" Sora called calmly, his voice smooth as velvet._

"_Yes, Sora, we do." The shadow retorted, its voice a mix of Sora's own overlayed with something deep and guttural. "We have no choice."_

"_There's always a choice." Sora answered plainly, side-stepping a few paces as the shadow followed suit._

"_And what choice have you ever had?" The shadow asked, its deep amber eyes narrowing a bit. "You said it yourself, remember? You cannot escape your fate."_

_The shadow lifted its hand, pointing slowly, leveling its gesture with Sora's chest._

"_That scar…your sacrifice…you created me. You used me to unlock your heart…to free your light. You cannot die, or live, without me. Your blood is mine."_

_Sora shook his head._

"_Not anymore."_

_The shadow laughed, deep and hollow._

"_You expect me to just…disappear? Return to a heart devoid of darkness? I will not be part of something as weak as your dear departed brother was! I will not be nothing!"_

"_Then join me." Sora said, holding out his hand. "I can't let you have control, but I also can't do this without you. Sephiroth must be stopped."_

"_You are too weak to spill his blood…to do what is necessary! You will _never_ be like me!"_

_The shadow lunged for Sora, hacking and slashing wildly with a feral cloud over its glowing eyes. Sora easily dodged each strike, only raising his Keyblade to parry those that came too close. The shadow began to pant heavily, its strikes growing weak and erratic, until finally it collapsed to the ground with a rumbling groan._

"_Why…why can't I defeat you? How did you become so strong?" The shadow demanded._

"_You don't understand…this isn't about which one of us is stronger!" Sora spat back. "We're wasting time with this! You can't defeat me, and I won't kill you…because like it or not I need you."_

_The dark figure gritted its teeth for a moment, breathing heavily as it knelt in the sand. Something began to sparkle in its eyes, reflecting dancing light from the glowing red sky._

Tears?

"_I…I don't…want to be forgotten!" It said, voice broken and almost pleading._

_Sora's eyes widened._

"_You're a part of me…you won't be forgotten." Sora replied, offering a small, warm smile. "When this is over, you'll be free…I promise. No more fighting…no more struggling to stay alive. Join me, and I'll give you that. All I ask in return is that you allow me to stop him…"_

"_Sephiroth…" the shadow bowed its head. "He took from me…everything…"_

_Sora offered his hand once more._

"_I know…so let's stop him before he takes anything else…Riku would have wanted that…"_

_Tears fell down the shadow's face in remembrance of the fallen warrior it once called master as it reached its hand out, taking Sora's in its own._

…..

"He's been at this all day…" Selphie said, almost sadly, tipping her head to the scene in front of them.

Leon stood upon the beach, just a few feet from the shore. His signature black leather jacket was shed in a pile near him, and thick padding could be seen beneath his plain white t-shirt, strapped securely around his ribs. Every once in a while, he would suck in a sharp hiss between his teeth as he moved; Gunblade in hand, he was swinging and thrusting with it wildly yet fluidly, as if attacking some unseen opponent. Yuffie shook her head and folded her arms as she watched, with Selphie standing quietly beside her.

"Moron…" Yuffie grumbled. "He's going to hurt himself."

"The doctors said he checked himself out last night…" Selphie continued, bowing her head with a sigh.

Yuffie watched for a moment longer, and decided to confront him as he knelt down, sinking the tip of his blade deep into the sand, and fingers firmly wrapped around the handle.

"Don't say it…" he muttered cooly as she approached.

"What the _hell_ do you think you're doing?" Yuffie demanded, placing her hands upon her hips.

"Training…" Leon answered flatly. "What's it look like?"

"Actually…it looks like you're pouting." Yuffie retorted. "Get over it already."

Leon chuckled, rising slowly to his feet and trying oh-so-smoothly to hide his wince of pain.

"You actually think I'm jealous?" He asked, his voice suddenly serious. "Grow up…"

Yuffie clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes.

"Look, I know you and Cloud have this whole unspoken competition thing going on…but do you _really_ have to act like you just won second place in the 'angstiest warrior in the galaxy' awards?" She asked sarcastically.

"Look…" he started, voice low and chilly. "All I'm saying is…why didn't King Mickey ask me to go along? I have a little more clout with him than Cloud does…I thought he trusted me more than that."

"Right…you said the same thing when you found out he gave the Keyblade to Sora." Yuffie said matter-of-factly. "You need to learn some humility."

Leon hung his head with a sigh, pinching the skin between his brow line and the bridge of his nose between his fingers.

"Look, I'm not saying I'm better than Cloud per se…"

"Well, speaking from my personal experiences with Sephiroth, I'd say that King Mickey made the right choice with Cloud." Yuffie said, cutting him off with a wave of her hand. "Number one, you and Sora would probably end up fighting each other…and number two…Sephiroth would probably make you pee your pants."

"What makes you say that?" Leon asked, sounding very annoyed at this point.

Yuffie sighed, her voice sounding a bit heavy.

"Look…if you never have to deal with the guy…consider yourself lucky." She answered, turning on her heel and peeking over her shoulder at him. "Just…take it easy, will you?"

Leon didn't answer, just plucked his sword up out of the sand.

"You know what Sora said to King Mickey?" He called after her.

Yuffie laughed.

"Yeah, I heard…about time if you ask me." She answered.

"You think he'll do it?" He asked simply.

Yuffie didn't answer for a moment.

"I…as long as Sora comes back alive…that's all that matters…" She replied, her voice soft and somewhat sad.

"Well, I'm not just going to sit here…if he can't do it, I will." Leon said coldly.

With that she walked away with a shake of her head, Selphie deciding to trail after her as she passed. Leon watched the two of them leave until they were out of sight, then leveled his sword and prepared to resume his training.

"Whatever…" he muttered under his breath.

…..

Sora stood in the center of the room, taking in a deep and slow breath. He drew his hands out to his sides, upturning his palms and summoning the opposing Keyblades with a single thought. Holding them both upright, he narrowed his eyes a bit before inhaling sharply. Suddenly, he lifted back on his outstretched arms, and then slammed his hands forward towards each other sharply. The two Keyblades collided violently with a thundering noise that shook the Gummi Ship to its very hull. There was an explosive flash of blinding light, and a shockwave detonated forth, viciously extinguishing the surrounding flames.

As Cloud and Exsul burst into the door of the training room, their eyes simultaneously went wide…


	15. Avenger

**A/N: Sorry for the delay on the update. Been extremely busy lately, and internet has been down...FML. Thank you all for being patient with me and for the reviews. Keep 'em coming!**

...

Cloud and Exsul's eyes went wide at the sight before them, their mouths falling agape. The once soft glow of indigo flame was replaced by roaring pillars of white fire, nearly reaching the ceiling of the training room. In the middle was what they could only assume to be Sora; his silhouetted figure could barely be made out from the blaring shine that encompassed his body. In an instant, the room went black; all that could be seen were twin orbs of deep blue, glowing with a brilliance that neither of them had ever seen. Cloud's hand absently felt around in the dark for the lightswitch, causing the fluorescent lights lining the room to flicker to illumination. Sora was standing tall in the middle of the room, clutching a Keyblade with both hands and arms outstretched. It was vastly different from the Keyblade he usually carried, and for that matter, from the Dark Keyblade bestowed upon him by Riku. The blade itself was at least another foot longer than it had been, and formed a deep and angular curve at its tip. The usual key shape was replaced by something looking all at once elegant and ornate, the blade a brilliant silver inlaid with deep black engravings that wound and stretched in various directions, resembling a variation of Damascus steel. The hilt seemed all but unchanged save for the shining jet black that replaced the obnoxious yellow. Extending from the hilt of the blade was elegant writing echoing the same style of the words on the back of Sora's shirt, a word that seemed fitting given the Keybearer's task at hand...

_AVENGER_

The chain on the Keyblade was an exact match to the crown emblem Sora usually wore around his neck, one side a deep cerulean, the other a beautiful shade of emerald, matching perfectly the eyes of the respective keybearers.

"Amazing..." Exsul breathed, barely above a whisper. "He actually did it..."

Cloud's eyes shifted momentarily from Sora to Exsul, then back again. He said nothing, but a small smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Sora's arms lowered, the Keyblade fading back into the ether as he closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath before meeting his gaze with the two of them.

"Well, Cloud, shall we continue?" Sora asked matter-of-factly, getting straight to business.

"I thought you'd never ask..." Cloud answered with a small chuckle, grabbing his Buster Sword from behind his back and taking up a fighting stance.

...

The patch over his eye was stifling and itchy. Everyone, especially Selphie, often chastised him for scratching at it, warning that it would never heal if he didn't stop picking. The heat of the morning reflecting off of the stark-white sand didn't seem to help any, as sweat often rolled off his brow and stung the wound, often infuriating him even further. The young man let out a disgruntled groan, plucking his sword out of the sand and taking up a stance.

"Maybe we should call it a day, ya?" Wakka asked somewhat motheringly, using a stick to scratch at his arm underneath the cumbersome cast.

"Forget it, Wakka." Tidus replied sharply. "If you want to head down to the mall with Yuffie and Selphie be my guest..."

Tidus took a double-handled grip on his sword, striking out with a few thrusts and slashes before stumbling a bit. He shook his head, grumbled low in his throat, then went right back to it.

"First Leon, now you?" Wakka questioned, scratching the back of his head. "You lose your faith in Sora too?"

"Of course not, Wakka!" Tidus almost spat at him before taking a deep breath and turning to face his friend. "Sorry, man...I'm just frustrated is all..."

"About what?" Wakka's voice suddenly had a bit of concern to it, which almost never happened.

Tidus let out a sigh, lowering his head as his shoulders slumped in unison.

"Look at everything that Sora's done for us, Wakka...for everyone...maybe if I had worked as hard as he did, maybe if I was stronger..."

Wakka strode over to Tidus, placing a hand on his shoulder and squeezing firmly.

"I just wish I could have done more, y'know?" Tidus said heavily.

"You and me both, man!" Wakka said sheepishly, raising his casted arm and then lowering it with a sharp wince.

Tidus chuckled and looked up at the hulking islander.

"At least you remembered to duck!" Tidus said with a laugh.

...

The look on Cloud's face was one that not many could honestly say that they had seen before; his shoulders were slumped, making it look like the cumbersome sword he normally wielded with ease had suddenly weighed a ton. His breaths were heavy and beads of sweat were forming on his forehead; Sora, on the other hand, looked as if this session had been effortless. Cloud exploded towards him with lightning speed, thrusting and slashing in a flurry of metal. Sora met him blow for blow, parrying the Buster Sword with uncompromising ease. Cloud's grip tightened and in a flash the sword turned over in his hands as he struck upward, knocking the Keyblade from Sora's hands; this time, a smirk appeared on Cloud's face, but Sora's remained unquestionably focused. As Cloud stabbed the blade forward, Sora shifted easily to his side, the tip of the blade passing him harmlessly. In a single fluid motion, Sora's arm wrapped around the enormous blade as he gripped the edge carefully, striking the flat of the blade with the heel of his free hand. The handle snapped out of Cloud's grasp and a shocked look crossed the warrior's face as he watched the Buster Sword skitter across the floor with a clang. Before he could register the fact that he had been so effortlessly disarmed, Sora spun on his back heel, striking Cloud in the sternum with a stiff kick that sent him reeling. Cloud collapsed to his knees, placing a hand out to brace himself as he coughed and wheezed, trying to refill his lungs with air. As he looked up, he noticed the tip of Sora's Keyblade resting just below his chin, Sora standing above him completely calm as if he had done this a hundred times before. Sora's blank expression cracked with a smirk, and then a bright white grin that showed some of the old Sora that Cloud had met so long ago. Cloud chuckled sheepishly as Sora offered him his hand and helped him to his feet. Cloud stared at him for a moment in disbelief; this boy could barely land a single blow on Cloud throughout the course of their training, and now all of a sudden, he had beaten him. The sound of faint applause broke Cloud from his stupor as he glanced over Sora's shoulder to meet Exsul's approving gaze.

"Impressive, Sora." Exsul said simply. "It seems you have rid yourself entirely of the doubt and fear that had previously held you back."

"Seems like it." Sora answered cooly, spiriting away his Keyblade before quirking a brow at Cloud. "I...didn't hurt you, did I?"

"Me? Psh...not at all!" Cloud said with a wave of his hand before he winced a bit, placing his hand over where Sora's kick had landed, rubbing the spot roughly with his hand as if trying to erase it from his chest.

"Right..." Sora retorted with a chuckle. "If anyone asks where the bruise came from, I'll tell them you fell down the stairs."

Exsul snickered behind them, placing a hand to his mouth to stifle it, but still clearly having trouble doing so.

"Ha ha..." Cloud said sarcastically before looking back to Exsul. "You're next pal."

"I think we should call it a day," Exsul started, seeming to ignore Cloud purposefully, yet not maliciously. "I think Sora could use some rest."

"First things first..." Sora said, stepping towards the door. "I'm starving."

Exsul soon followed him out the door, as Cloud waited behind them for a moment.

"Way to go, Sora." He said with a satisfied smile before following them out the door.

...

The remainder of the day seemed to go by in a flash, although in the middle of space it seemed difficult to keep track of the days as they passed. What had seemed like a matter of hours in the training room to Sora ended up being a few days in all actuality. Time seemed to be the one thing they had plenty of, and at the same time, seemed to slip through their fingers like dust. The ship was quiet save for the hum of the engines; Cid was undoubtedly passed out in his room (the few obnoxious snores that escaped from his closed door were a testament to that fact), and Exsul had been in a meditative trance throughout most of the night. Cloud sat alone on the ship's bridge, absently staring out into the blackness surrounding them. The door slid open quietly behind him, allowing Sora to step through almost noiselessly.

"Cloud," Sora called in, lightly knocking on the doorway as he did so. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure," Cloud answered quietly, beckoning him with one hand and not looking away from whatever it had been that caught his interest. "Have a seat."

Sora slid lazily into the seat next to him, staring out into the blackness just as Cloud was. Cloud could sense that there was something weighing heavily on the Keybearer's mind; in fact, he was pretty sure he already knew what it was.

"What's the matter, Sora?" Cloud asked, finally breaking the silence between them. "You seem...distracted."

"I just hate the way I left everything at home...again." Sora admitted quietly. "I feel like I should have stayed...sorted everything out before coming here..."

"I understand how you feel...but I also understand that you felt that stopping Sephiroth was a high priority." Cloud added. "It's difficult to know what the right course of action is sometimes, especially for those like us."

"I know..." Sora said, dipping his head. "I just feel like I won't have much of a home to go back to when this is all over."

"What do you mean?" Cloud asked, turning his head to face him.

"Riku's gone...and Kairi...I'm pretty sure she'll never speak to me again..." Sora answered with a deep sigh. "Everything I've known up 'til now seems to have just...disappeared."

Cloud understood the Keybearer's plight all too well.

"Sora, what happened isn't your fault..." He started. "Riku died doing what he felt he had to do...and Kairi..."

Sora's head lifted and his eyes shifted over to Cloud.

"Well I highly doubt she hates you...she's your light, after all. She has to hold something for you..."

"How can you be so sure?" Sora asked with a raised brow, returning his gaze to the endless darkness outside.

"I, too, once lost my light...remember?"

"And...did you ever find it again?"

Cloud nodded once, looking out into the black of space as he continued.

"Sora...a long time ago, Sephiroth took my light from me. I used to think that I would never find that light again...that it was lost forever. No matter how much happiness I'd found since then, it seemed like there was this empty void that couldn't be filled."

Sora's gaze shifted to Cloud again, listening intently to what the older warrior had to say.

"When our world was destroyed..." Cloud continued. "I was...frightened. I thought that I had lost everything all over again. When I came here, though...I could feel it; that light I had lost so long ago. I somehow knew that I would find it again...and thanks to the hope you gave me...I did."

Cloud reached a hand out, gripping Sora's shoulder lightly.

"As long as you hold on to your light, it _will _find a way back to you...as long as you have faith."

Sora nodded, lowering his head and closing his eyes slowly, taking a deep breath.

"I just feel...lost, you know?" Sora admitted. "It's not just Kairi...Riku has been like a pillar of strength for me. No matter how bad things got...he was always there...and now that he's gone..."

Cloud could feel the pain in Sora's voice; despite the cool exterior he usually gave off, seeing Sora lose his best friend...someone he considered a brother...Cloud's heart broke for the young warrior, and he was sympathetic to his torment.

"I had a brother once..." Cloud began. "A good friend of mine who watched out for me. His name was Zack...Zack Fair."

Sora looked up at him, noticing something sad and dim in Cloud's glowing eyes.

"We were in the military together." Cloud continued. "He made it in to the elite squad...I wanted to be just like him. I always pushed myself hard, hoping I would catch up to him someday..."

Cloud took a deep breath, lowering his head a bit before continuing.

"We got assigned to this mission in my hometown. I remember him being so excited on the ride there that he couldn't even sit still. Then one night, everything just...went dark."

"The night Sephiroth burned your town?"

Cloud nodded.

"I searched everywhere for Zack, finally finding him at the reactor. He confronted Sephiroth and got beaten up pretty badly. I was able to stop Sephiroth, but it took a heavy toll on my body. I remember blacking out, and the next thing I knew, I was in this research lab, trapped inside this...chamber. One of the scientists that worked for the company was conducting these experiments on us. Zack was pretty much unfazed...but me...I was nearly catatonic."

"Oh my god..." Sora breathed.

"One day, during feeding time, Zack was able to break out. He freed me...tried to get us to safety. The military tracked us down; I couldn't even stand much less fight back. Zack took them on all by himself...he didn't care what happened to himself, he just wanted to make sure I was safe. I heard several gunshots...machine gun fire...and then everything went silent. I crawled over to Zack...his body was riddled with bullets. He handed me his sword, and made me promise him something before he died..."

"What?" Sora asked quietly.

"...that I would live...for the both of us." Cloud answered sadly. "I promised myself then and there that no matter what path life put me on, that I would keep going. I owed him at least that much...for everything he had done for me."

Sora didn't say a word; he just sat back and took in everything that Cloud had just told him. Cloud understood everything Sora was going through; he had been through it all and came out on the other side alive and well, with nothing but memories that were sometimes painful...yet that's all they were; memories. Cloud still kept his determination about him and pushed on, and as far as Sora could tell, was a better person because of it. The two of them could have been brothers in another life, the similarities between the two uncanny; from the way they had been forged through the fires of hell with the pain they had both suffered, right down to their sense of duty and the will and need to carry on and finish whatever obstacles life put in their way. They even had the same eyes; glowing with a blue light that never burned out even in pitch darkness, eyes that had seen the all the horrors and beauties that life had to offer.

They had the same enemy...one that had taken everything from them, and would do so again if not stopped.

"Thanks, Cloud..." Sora said finally with a small smile on his face.

"For what?" Cloud asked, his brow furrowed.

"For being here...I wouldn't have gotten this far without you."

"No problem, Sora. You gave me the strength to carry on once...all you needed was a reminder of who you are."

Sora smiled to himself, looking again out in to the passing blackness of space.

"If you don't mind me asking..." Sora began. "You found your light...who was it?"

"Aerith..." Cloud answered, his eyes suddenly filling with warmth as her name escaped his lips.

Sora nodded, remembering the bright-faced young woman he had met all those years ago.

"And, was it worth it? Spending all that time waiting to see her again and then finally finding her?"

Cloud chuckled lightly, then offered Sora a small smile.

"It was worth every second, Sora," Cloud answered. "Every second..."

...


	16. Pictures on the Wall

**A/N: A lot of filler over the last few chapters, will be getting to the meat and bones of the story very soon. Thank you all for reading and I hope you continue to enjoy the story.**

He had always been quiet, almost bordering on reserved; an enigmatic man with a past shrouded in blood and darkness. Not much was known about him other that he had an alarming sense of duty and a dedication to put right what had been made wrong. Still, there was something about him, buried deep inside behind his victorian facade; a scared little boy trudging through the mud, afraid of whatever demon it was that had been chasing him his whole life. Uncertainty was a dangerous adversary, forever stalking him; not knowing who you were was even worse. He seemed to rise above it, though, as far as anyone on the outside looking in could tell. There wasn't a single sound coming from behind his door, alomst as if he had disappeared entirely into nothingness. As Sora approached and had his hand raised ready to knock, he was suddenly stopped out of nowhere.

"Come in, Sora," Exsul called quietly from inside. "The door's unlocked."

Sora's eyes bolted open with surprise. He lowered his hand and opened the door, silently stepping through the threshold. The room was all but bare of furniture save for a single bed tucked neatly in the corner. The room was dimly lit with a circle of burning candles with Exsul parked neatly in the middle. He rose to his feet as Sora entered, extinguishing the flames with a wave of his hand as the lights flickered on in unison.

"Sorry to disturb you." Sora said.

"No disruption at all, Sora," Exsul replied. "How may I help you?"

"How..." Sora began, quirking a brow in surprise before shaking his head.

"I could sense it on you as soon as you approached my door." Exsul answered for him. "You're looking for answers, yes?"

Sora nodded.

"Do you believe in fate, Sora?" Exsul asked, gliding across the room to stare out the window.

"Sometimes..." Sora answered. "Lately, I'm not so sure."

"What do you mean?" Exsul asked, glancing over his shoulder for a moment.

"I don't believe that it was fate for Riku to have died." Sora replied simply.

"Would you be here regardless?" Exsul asked.

"Of course." Sora answered.

"Because it's your duty as the Keybearer to protect this galaxy from all evils..." Exsul said, more of a statement than a question.

"I suppose it is..." Sora began. "Not that I've had much choice...the price of being the Keybearer I guess."

"A warrior is rarely called upon at a moment of their choosing."

"I know...but...when does it end?"

"I used to ask myself the very same thing...for me...it ends when I've found Schala..."

"Your sister?" Sora asked, cocking his head slightly.

Exsul nodded.

"Searching for one's light does not always mean searching for someone you care for romantically. For me, Scala is very much the reason I am alive, and thus the reason I keep going...for you, it is Kairi..."

Sora let out a heavy sigh.

"You would wait for her until the end of time, wouldn't you?"

Sora looked up and nodded.

"A hundred times over." He answered.

"When you return to your home...she will need you." Exsul added, looking over his shoulder to lock eyes with Sora.

"I feel like..." Sora was searching for the right way to express his thoughts. "I feel like I've just come back into her life...she moved on, fell in love, and now that love has been taken from her. What's worse is...she blames _me _for it. I want to be with her...to hold her and let her know that everything will be okay..."

"...and you feel that you would be doing Riku's memory a disservice if you did so?" Exsul finished for him.

Sora was silent for a moment, his only reply a nod that finally came.

"If it is meant to be, then it will be...but there is no point in dwelling on it now." Exsul continued. "Right now, your focus belongs on Sephiroth. This...situation...need your full attention."

His words were somewhat cold, but nonetheless true; once again, Kairi would have to wait...and hopefully this time she would understand, and be waiting on the other side for Sora's return.

"I understand." Sora said simply. "Thanks, Exsul."

Sora turned back towards the door, only to be stopped by Exsul.

"Make no mistake, Sora," Exsul called after him. "Holding on to your light _is _important...it will keep you from the darkness...but looking forward too far and too much makes you lose perspective. That boy that I saw not long ago...the one who stood up to King Mickey after years of service..._that _is the one who will defeat Sephiroth, not a lovesick fool."

"I get it." Sora replied with a simple nod. "Thanks again, Exsul...without your guidance..."

Exsul cut him off with a raised hand that Sora somehow felt him raise behind his turned back.

"Everything you have done up until now...you have done on your own. I merely gave you a little...push." Exsul explained.

Sora glanced over his shoulder with a smirk.

"More like a swift kick in the ass." He said before exiting.

...

The month that passed brought with it several changes, like the leaves of a tree turning from brilliant green to faded amber in the autumn. Life is always in a constant state of motion; aboard _The Bahamut _it seemed like a raging tidal wave rushing to crash-land against the sands of their fate, while on Destiny Islands it seemed more like the steady drip of a leaking faucet. Time seemed to freeze in place in the absence of two of its most brilliant souls; the silver-haired boy who was ever watchful and ready like a guardian angel, and the boy with the glowing blue eyes whose smile could make the sun rise and clouds part. They were the yin and yang of the tiny world, wrapping all who lived there in perfect balance. Once that balance had been removed, however, the world realized just what a dark and lonely place it would be without them. All the while, fear, lonliness, and sadness loomed overheard like a brewing storm, dark and foreboding.

Tidus had heeded the advice best friend Wakka, choosing to be a comforting relief from the hanging swell of emotion rather than remain broken and beaten. He offered words of comfort whenever and wherever it was needed, assuring them all that Sora would one day return and life would be back to normal. One such individual who aided him in his recovery was Selphie; they fit together perfectly, each one giving the other just what they needed in order to survive and carry on in the Keybearer's absence. The big joke amongst the friends of the island, however, was which one spent more time on their hair every morning.

As for Tidus' hulking islander friend Wakka, not much had changed. Wakka was who he was and no one would have had it any differently. Needless to say, he was the comic foil of the group; whether they laughed with him or at him, he felt successful in his day-to-day life.

Almost as dark and foreboding as the atmosphere of their world was the warrior known as Leon. He kept to himself, his training consuming everything he did. He barely slept or ate that entire time, itching for the chance to prove his worth as a warrior. In his mind, he was more qualified than Cloud to face Sephiroth, and his faith in Sora seemed to fade more and more with each sunset. If he was indeed King Mickey's back-up plan, he wasn't much of one...at least, not in his present condition. His ribs seemed to take forever to heal, mainly due to the fact that he never was one to heed the advice of doctors (no matter how many of them told him the same exact thing as the last). He was determined that if Sora failed, he would succeed. Some may have found his focus to be heroic, even noble...but to one person in particular, it was just completely foolish.

That person, of course, was a fellow warrior and often companion of Leon's; the young woman named Yuffie. How desperately she wanted to accompany Sora, her friend and fellow warrior whom she had grown so completely attached to ever since he had come back from his last mission. As much as he had needed her, as much as she had been there to stem the tide of his emotional waves, she hadn't realized until now just how much she had needed him as well. What she wouldn't give to hear his voice, to look into those endless pools of blue no matter how dim their light. What she felt for Sora went beyond love or the mutual respect shared between those who lived by the sword; he was every bit engraved into her heart, the truest of friends coming from the most unfavorable of circumstances. Although she had every faith that he would return victorious, she stood poised and ready should he fall in battle to avenge him. Maybe in another life, another time, they would have been lovers...but just as Sora could not extinguish his love for Kairi, Yuffie could not come between the Keybearer and his light. The group of friends on Destiny Islands noticed that a little bit of that vibrant soul they were used to had faded; she simply wanted her friend to come home safely. In the meantime, she would honor him in the best way she knew how; by being there for the grieving Kairi.

There was a voided patch of skin on her finger, smooth and white from where she had been wearing the ring he gave her. At first, the mourning process had been long and trecherous, threatening to break her at any given moment. Shortly after Yuffie had revealed to her the secret that Sora had been carrying with him for all these years, she had a dream about her slain fiance. In it, he smiled warmly at her, wrapping her in his strong embrace. The tears flowed like a waterfall from her clenched eyes. He stroked the back of her head soothingly and then looked into her eyes; his expression was a mix of peace and sadness. He whispered to her softly, so soft she could barely hear him. His words shattered her heart, but at the same time, allowed her to let go of her pain.

_I have to go now, Kairi, but don't be sad...I want you to live your life...I want you to be happy, no matter what happens. You have to move on, you have to let me go...Sora needs you now, more than ever. I want you to look out for him for me, keep him close to you...it's where you both belong..._

With that, he faded in a wisp of smoke, moving on to wherever it was that he had appeared from. Taking a deep breath, she unclasped a slender golden chain from around her neck, fed through the ring that he had given her. Bending down and reaching forward, she refastened it around a low branch of the curved tree resting just above his headstone. Wiping a tear from her eye, she turned and walked down the beach towards the secluded home belonging to the young man who had held on to her heart ever since their childhood. She had spent most of her days here; simply being in this home filled her with warmth. Everything around her made her heart ache. She wanted so badly to talk to him, to tell him how sorry she was for what she said, to try and repair the damage she had caused him. The pictures on the wall in his roomoffered her the most comfort, though. It showed her just how much he loved this makeshift family, this home where he had grown up. Most of all, it showed her how much he loved her, how much he had _always_ loved her. It took the death of Riku and a verbal slap in the face from the friend she came to think of as a sister, but Kairi's eyes had finally been opened to the truth she had denied herself for so long...

She was in love with Sora, down to her very core. She always had been, but had never allowed herself to realize it until it was too late. _Was it too late_, she would ask herself, more times than she would dare to count. All she could do now was ask the powers that be to bring him home to her one last time, her quiet words that day on the beach echoing through her heart on an endless cycle...

_Sora...please...come back._

...

The life of the Keybearer was never an easy one; from the day he first received the Key and his home was sieged by darkness to the day his best friend and brother was murdered, he had regretted all that he had lost along the way. Nonetheless, there was little to regret. Once again, here he was on a mission to erradicate another newfound evil, but this time was different...never before had the pain of loss driven him so far, so fast. To look upon him as he was today, you would never guess that the happy-go-lucky bright-eyed kid who stood against the darkness was the same person; he had been hardened by endless training and the turmoil of battle...in short, he was now a young man, devoid of anything remotely resembling his childhood self. As Cloud looked upon him, he saw himself; maybe that's what he wanted...someone shaped in his image that could carry the burden that the former mercenary had bore for so long. It had seemed like forever since Sora left home; so long since he had been that carefree boy with the sun on his back and the wind in his hair. What would be waiting for him when he came home? Would _anything_ be waiting for him when he got home? The last time, he returned from a three-year absence to find that life had moved on without him...even his light seemed to forget about him. The thought almost made him laugh, and at the same time, almost made him cry. Maybe he wouldn't come back at all...maybe they just needed to learn how to live without him...maybe _he_ needed to learn how to live without _them_. He shook his head at that last thought; he couldn't just leave it all behind. Too many people were waiting for his return for him to just walk away; counting on him to be the hero, to save the day, to return victorious as he had before. He owed them that much...owed so much to the friendship he had developed with Yuffie...to the memory of Riku...even to Kairi; what if _she _needed _him_? What if the only way to heal her broken heart was for him to return home safely? Losing Riku had devastated her, but losing Sora would most likely kill her. So much time lost, so many sacrifices...each second, each instance made Sora realize one very important truth...

_There was nothing in life that he didn't cherish._

The pictures on the wall were a testament to his past, present, and future...and he coudln't let that end with Sephiroth.

He wouldn't.

...

The hum of the engines began to fade, signaling that the ship was slowing to a halt. The Trinity made their way into the ship's bridge, filing through the door almost cautiosly.

"Cid, what is it? Why have we stopped?" Sora called behind him.

Cid spun sideways in his captain's chair, plucking a fresh cigarette and placing it between his lips. His lighter flicked open and ignited it as he took a long drag and spoke through lips that pinched the cigarette into place.

"We're here..."

...

**Read and review, please!**


	17. Into the Mouth of Madness

**A/N: I owe each and every one of you an apology for the delay in getting this story wrapped up. There have been a lot of things going on around here lately that have been largely out of my control, so I'm hoping to get this story finalized very soon.**

…..

_When we walk to the edge of all the light we have and take that step into the darkness of the unknown, we must believe that one of two things will happen…_

_There will be something solid to stand on, or we will be taught to fly._

_- Anonymous Quote_

…..

The air was thick and stagnant, the kind that creeps up into your nostrils and threatens to choke off the air supply, making you gag with each breath; permeated by the scent of death and decay and decomposition.

The scent of evil in its purest form.

Exsul seemed to be all to used to it from his years as the Fiendlord. Cloud, too, seemed unaffected. For Sora, it took some adjustment; even breathing through his mouth as they advised him to do seemed to do little to stifle his gag reflex. After a few minutes however, he too was able to overcome the stench.

The area before them was an endless sea of black that seemed to swallow the jagged earth beneath; only the occasional flash of lightning and the eerie glow emanating from their destination of the spooky-looking cave entrance offered any illumination of their surroundings. Trails of wispy darkness streaked across the sky, blotting out the surrounding stars and adding to the chilly foreboding of the surface. Cloud had advised Cid to have _The Bahamut_ orbit at a safe distance rather than attempt a landing, something which even the hardened pilot was all too happy to oblige. The three of them surveyed their surroundings, acclimating themselves to the area before going any further. Sora's eyes seemed to glow like beacons against the darkness, like the guiding radiance of a lighthouse cutting through the fog of a storm; he seemed to have a quiet focus about him, his face expressionless. Finally, Cloud decided to take a step forward, only to be stopped by Sora's outstretched arm that seemed to lift into place suddenly yet peacefully.

"Wait…" Sora cautioned, his voice low and smooth.

"What is it?" Cloud asked, his voice growing quiet with a slight apprehension.

Exsul's crimson eyes narrowed into thin slivers as he scanned about, but was unable to see what it was that had so hastily grabbed Sora's attention.

"I can feel them…" Sora answered almost icily.

"Sora?" Exsul called to him cautiously.

"Heartless…" Sora replied, a hint of disgust to his voice.

A flash of lightning cracked the sky, silhouetting several forms in the endless black before them.

"How many do you figure?" Exsul posed as he peeled open his slitted eyelids.

"The entire surface seems to be covered in them." Sora said plainly.

"Great…" Cloud replied with a heavy sigh. "Trapped in the middle of nowhere and severely outnumbered."

"You thought this was going to be easy?" Exsul asked, a bit sarcastically.

Sora offered a light chuckle, lowering his arm and glancing over each shoulder to the two of them respectively.

"Sounds like fun." Sora said with a bit of levity to his voice. "How bad can it be?"

"Right…" Cloud said, his voice tinged with sarcasm.

Sora stepped forward, producing his Keyblade with a single thought and holding it loosely in his right hand. As he stepped forward, the two of them followed closely behind. There seemed to be a path laid out ahead of them, as if purposefully constructed for their arrival. A few times as they walked, they could see several figures ahead of them, parting as they approached and closing the path behind them as they passed; they seemed at once repelled by Sora's Keyblade and at the same time ready to tear him apart for possession of it. Sounds like faint whispers seemed to surround them at each step, growing steadily louder the closer they came to the cave's entrance. Sora stopped dead in his tracks, about twenty feet or so from the cave's entrance; Cloud and Exsul immediately turned around, placing their backs towards each other as the three of them faced outward like the points of a triangle. Cloud's Buster Sword had been steadily drawn from his back and he stood in his signature fighting stance, while Exsul placed his staff firmly in the ground in front of him as if it were the only thing keeping him held in place. Sora's glowing orbs narrowed, his expression calm and collected like that of a hardened warrior preparing for his last stand, his Keyblade pointed low and held loosely in his hand.

"What are you waiting for?" Sora growled lowly, his voice enough to send a shiver down the stiffest of spines.

In an instant, several burning amber eyes fell on the Keybearer, resembling a patchwork splayed across the endless black. A flash of lightning and the strange glow of the cave's mouth cast a dim illumination over the gathered masses almost on cue. Sora's estimation hadn't been too far off; there was a circle of empty space surrounding the trio, and on the outside of it were a gathered army of Heartless not unlike those they faced on Destiny Islands. There was a collective and guttural roar from them in perfect unison as their burning eyes locked and narrowed on the Keybearer, roaring and swiping in his direction without moving from their respective stances. Finally, a single Heartless leapt several feet into the air, bearing down on Sora with its arm raised to strike; it came within reaching distance of Sora before the Keybearer slashed forward in a downward arc that caught his attacker across the torso, sending it flying backwards to land in a crumpled heap at the feet of its comrades before dissipating. As impressive as the action was, it only served to incite a riot amongst the horde assembled; they immediately and collectively sprang to life, making a beeline for Sora.

Cloud responded by darting forward with a rumbling war cry, expertly using the Buster Sword as if it were a part of his own body, effortlessly hacking and slashing through the rushing numbers like they were incorporeal. Exsul's vision narrowed as he slammed the end of his staff into the ground, a huge arcing blade unsheathing from its tip to resemble a wicked-looking scythe. His hand reached skyward, making the sky explode with a brilliant white light that shone down on them like a full moon. He tried to hide his surprise at the sight before him but to little avail; there were literally hundreds of them in every direction, threatening at any moment to consume them entirely. The amassed Heartless winced at the light for a moment but seemed to ignore it altogether just as quickly. Exsul exploded forward, casting trails of himself across the ground as he seemed to be propelled through the air, slicing through the monsters while being careful to keep his distance from Cloud and his wild strikes. While the Heartless standing before Sora had seemed to go directly for him, the ones of Cloud and Exsul's focus seemed to be all but ignoring them, making their job that much tougher. The time seemed nigh for Exsul to take control of the situation, which he did by creating a wave of flame with a mere gesture of his hand that swept out across the encroaching darkness, giving himself and Cloud both the time and distance they needed to hold their ground and ensure that Sora would not be ambushed.

The Keybearer, however, didn't seem to need the assistance at all; Heartless came at him from every direction, relentlessly trying to subdue him with their overwhelming numbers. Sora seemed twice as focused as he had been that day on the beach and nowhere near as enraged; his expression was like stone as he wielded his signature weapon with a style and grace that he had never shown before. Gone was the devil-possessed boy driven by anger; in fact, his focus seemed only to enrage the Heartless further into their collective bloodlust.

Cloud and Exsul, despite the considerable amount of combat experience that they had over Sora, were beginning to have difficulty in holding back the throng that was steadily flooding towards them. They had the mutual understanding that no matter what happened to them, Sora could not be allowed to fall; after all, this was _his_ battle, not theirs. Nonetheless, something had to be done.

"Cloud!" Exsul shouted over the melee. "Buy me some time will you?"

Cloud glanced over to him just long enough to quirk a confused brow before nodding sharply; he didn't have a clue what Exsul had planned, but if their battle on Destiny Islands was any indication, it was sure to be big. Turning his focus back to the group before them, Cloud raised his sword, swinging it back and parallel to the ground before slashing forward, unleashing a whirlwind that tossed several Heartless into the air like scattered leaves and knocked several more over like toppling dominoes. The disorienting attack gave Exsul the precious moments he needed to conjure up one of his devastating spells; one hand struck forward and seemed to be encased in thick frost, the temperature around them plummeting drastically as the scattered creatures became encased entirely in impenetrable ice. Immediately following, his hands whirled about, becoming engulfed in an intense mystical flame before he projected them forward, sending an explosive wave of concentrated fire hurtling towards the gathered swarm. The flames seemed to overwhelm everything for a moment, disintegrating the affected Heartless as it cut its way through them. Just as soon as the piercing flare had appeared, it had departed completely, leaving charred earth and bits of ash floating through the air. Cloud and Exsul exchanged a brief glance of relief at thinning out the overwhelming numbers before turning around to check on Sora; he was nowhere to be found, and in his place was a mound of Heartless piling on top of each other, trying desperately to suppress something buried deep underneath.

The smell of death and decay flooded his senses like the bursting of a dam; it was everywhere and completely inescapable. There were clawed hands and tendril-like fingers wrapping around his limbs, every one of them attempting to tear a piece of the Keybearer apart like some sort of souvenir. Panic and anxiety would set in soon; the breathable pockets of air were being snuffed out one by one with each new foe piling on top to suppress him. He had to keep his cool, remember his training, keep his focus…there was a way out of this, and sooner or later, they would slip just enough to give it to him. He sharply sucked in the last pocket of air he could find, holding it in and savoring the way it felt in his lungs. A clawed hand clasped firmly around his wrist had stapled his Keyblade to the ground, and at this very moment, he was defenseless. Slowly closing his eyes, Sora relieved the tension in his muscles, loosening the white-knuckled grip he had on his weapon; the tactic seemed to work just as planned as the Heartless that had him pinned down shifted just enough of their weight to give him the leverage he needed. Sora wrestled the Keyblade free, springing to his feet in a crouched position where he had previously been held down on all fours. Without hesitation, he stabbed the tip of the Keyblade downward into the unforgiving earth beneath him and vaulted himself upward, knocking several of the Heartless back as he sprung into the air. Finally being able to breathe once again, he let out his breath in a desperate rush, taking a few more steady breaths before refocusing on his attackers; some waited on the ground for him like a pack of hungry sharks smelling blood, a few others leapt up into the air after him just as effortlessly as he had. As Sora seemed to weightlessly drift back down to the surface, he slashed out at his attackers, sending them hurtling back to the ground before they dissipated into the nothingness from whence they came. Sora landed back on the ground below, crouching for a moment before rising to his feet as Cloud and Exsul looked on with a mix of shock and awe. His face was calm and fearless and had almost an air of serenity to it. His glowing blue eyes seemed to flood his sockets with light, glancing about at the Heartless that encircled him; they all looked poised and ready to strike at any moment but at the same time seemed frozen in place, hunched over with their heads slightly bowed and watching the Keybearer ever so carefully. A hush had fallen over them, no more indistinct clamoring or guttural screams…it was as if their collective will to fight had been switched off entirely.

"What are they waiting for?" Cloud asked quietly, more to himself than anyone in particular.

It was then that Sora did something that only seemed to further shock his companions; he lowered his head, closing his eyes slowly, holding his arms out to the side, and spirited the Keyblade away. The Heartless, too, seemed to show a small sense of surprise on their blank faces. Cloud stepped forward, opening his mouth to protest, only to have Exsul's gloved hand come from nowhere and clasp firmly onto his shoulder. Cloud glanced over his shoulder at Exsul with a questioning furrow of his brow, and all Exsul had to do in reply was shake his head. After a moment or two of hesitation, one of the Heartless took the opportunity to rush at Sora from behind, its trisected maw flaring open widely followed by a bloodthirsty scream. The creature came within arm's reach of Sora before he spun back, catching it hard across the face with the heel of his boot, snapping its neck to the side with a sickening slap. The others let out a collective agonized growl as they, too, sprung towards the Keybearer. Each one was met with a lightning-fast reaction; punches, kicks, elbows…each one connecting with amazing accuracy and unexpected force, each Heartless collapsing to the ground in pain as their burning amber eyes shone for the last time until but one remained, making a beeline for Sora's turned back. Sora spun around, leveling his cerulean gaze with the creature, and in an instant his arm reached forward and produced the Keyblade. The creature stopped dead in its tracks, a mere inch from the tip of Sora's Keyblade, resting just below its chin. The Heartless' eyes seemed to go wide as it stood, unsure of its next move, as Sora's eyes narrowed only slightly.

"I'm coming for you…" Sora spoke lowly in a calm yet confident voice.

Without hesitation, Sora whirled around; thrusting back and upward with the Keyblade, the tip went cleanly up under the creature's chin, piercing through the top of its head before Sora withdrew his blade plainly and began walking towards his comrades as the solitary Heartless collapsed to the ground. Sora glanced to Cloud, then back to Exsul as he approached and continued on towards the entrance to the foreboding cave. The two exchanged a similar glance before falling in line behind the Keybearer.

…..

"It would seem you have underestimated him…" The chilly and somewhat seductive voice of a female called from the darkness.

Sephiroth stepped from the shadows, the dim light casting an eerie silhouette over his face.

"On the contrary, Mother…" He called back to the voice in the darkness, narrowing his eyes as an evil smirk crossed his thin lips.

"Everything is going according to plan…"

…..

**Read and review!**


	18. Divide & Conquer

**A/N: Not much to say here…blah I guess would suffice. Hopefully my current mood doesn't affect my writing. Thank you all for reading.**

…..

The nauseating stench of the air had all but faded, replaced instead by an ominous chill that crept up the spine. Outside, it seemed like they were walking through hell itself; upon taking a single step inside the roaring maw of the cave, however, what they had just been through seemed like a vacation. There was not even a single speck of light, the inside of the cave black as pitch and swallowing them whole within seconds of their entry. Cloud and Exsul all but ran smack into Sora's rigid back as he stopped directly in front of them. Even the soft glow of his eyes as they scanned about did little to illuminate their surroundings; whatever lies before them seemed to be the very incarnation of nothingness.

"Can you see anything?" Exsul asked quietly as he squinted his eyes to try and make out anything beyond them.

"Not a damn thing…" Cloud answered just as quietly, as if trying not to disturb some unseen sleeping giant from its slumber.

"Quiet…" Sora almost hissed, growing ever more still in the endless black. "Do you feel that?"

The remaining two silenced themselves for a moment, even going so far as to momentarily hold their breaths. The air around them was completely still, not a sound or echo could be heard, but there was definitely something there; something lurking and pulling at them…something decidedly evil. Exsul raised his staff in the air, trying to call forth the same mystical illumination he had conjured outside, but nothing came. As he slowly lowered his staff, his pointed ears twitched, and suddenly his attention had been drawn to something unseen or unheard by his companions.

"What was that...?" He asked quietly, more to himself than anyone else.

"I didn't hear anything…" Sora answered flatly, his voice still barely a whisper.

For a moment, they all stood still once more; something had piqued the enigmatic sorcerer's attention, and whatever it was seemed to give his voice a touch of apprehension.

"There it is again…" Exsul murmured in a shuddered tone. "A voice…calling to me from the darkness…"

Sora and Cloud exchanged glances, although neither of them could see the other's face, and then looked in Exsul's direction.

"It can't be…" Exsul breathlessly spoke, his voice a mix of sadness and fear, a tone that the fellow members of the Trinity never heard before.

"What…?" Cloud asked.

Suddenly, Exsul was no longer concerned about staying quiet.

"Schala!" He called out into the dark. "Schala, is that you!"

Sora spun around to face Exsul, reaching a hand out for him.

"Exsul, relax…" Sora pleaded soothingly.

The Keybearer's words were to no avail; Exsul ignored him as if he weren't even there. Sora's hand was pushed aside by something unseen that he could only assume was Exsul brushing past him; he reached out in the darkness to grab a hold of him, even calling his name, but it seemed as though he just vanished without a trace. The deafening silence was cut out by a shuddering breath coming from where Cloud stood.

"Cloud?" Sora called out to him. "What is it?"

"I heard a voice…" He answered plainly, the same tinge of fear and sadness to his voice as Exsul's.

Sora spun around to face him, reaching his hands out and grabbing Cloud by his shoulders firmly.

"Snap out of it, Cloud," Sora pleaded. "There's no one there."

"Mother…" Cloud called out quietly. "I thought…you were dead…"

Sora shook him lightly, but Cloud simply wouldn't snap out of it; instead, he brushed Sora aside and stepped forward. In an instant, he too was gone…and Sora was alone; a dangerous place to be in a setting such as this.

The darkness surrounding the Keybearer was suddenly replaced by a blinding light from above, radiating with a heat that was decidedly unnatural for a place such as this. As he raised his hand to shield his eyes and squinted against the visual assault, he too felt himself being pulled forward to somewhere unseen…

…..

He found himself standing in a rolling green field, not unlike those he remembered from so long ago in his childhood innocence. The sky was bright and clear, the sun shining warmly down upon him. How he got here, he wasn't sure…but a familiar voice called to him; a voice that he had longed to hear for as long as his broken memories would allow. She was standing underneath a large oak tree that towered over him like the walls of a castle, her back turned to him and lavender-blue hair billowing around her bare shoulders.

"I'm glad you could make it, brother…" She called to him in a voice so soothing it sounded nearly angelic.

"Schala?" Exsul called out to her, taking a few cautious steps forward. "Is it really you?"

"I didn't think you'd ever make it this far…" she called to him.

"I never stopped searching for you…not once." Exsul began, his voice almost melting from the usual stone-cold chilliness he usually spoke with. "Ever since that day…"

She raised a hand, gesturing for him to stop, which he heeded immediately.

"You gave yourself to the darkness…because of me." She said almost sadly.

"That was a long time ago, Schala." Exsul explained. "I came back from the darkness so I could find you…"

Suddenly she let out a somewhat evil chuckle, her tone of voice growing dark like the flip of a switch.

"You should not have come back!" She hissed.

"I…don't understand…" Exsul said, shocked by her sudden change of usually calm personality.

"Look at you!" She growled low in her throat. "You're pathetic! You've grown weak! That is why you have failed in finding me…"

Exsul's shocked expression faded, his lip curling as his teeth gritted and eyes narrowed.

"That's it…" She said satisfactorily through a wicked grin. "Embrace your darkness…give in to it…become the Fiendlord once more! It is who you are!"

"No!" Exsul protested, shaking his head. "I have beaten my darkness…I am the Fiendlord no longer!"

Her voice was flooded with a guttural, monstrous growling cackle. She turned towards him, eyes glowing red and face becoming twisted and evil.

"You cannot escape your destiny!" She exclaimed. "Embrace your evil…and serve me as your worthless mother once did!"

In an instant, her body became emaciated and skeletal until she crumbled to dust. The green rolling hills and tall oak tree soon followed suit, their respective life forces being extinguished. The ground upon which Exsul stood became scorched and cracked with thick clouds of dust blotting out the crystal sky. The ground where his "sister" once stood split open like trails of broken glass, the edges of the earth burning with a magma-like glow. A dome of gigantic spikes burst through the ground, slowly raising to reveal a form that Exsul found hard to forget. Flipping his cape to the side and tightening his gloves around his hands one at a time, he snatched up his scythe, glowering at the creature with a curled lip exposing his elongated canines.

"I have waited many years for this moment, Lavos…" Exsul began. "I was denied my vengeance once, and I will _not_ let that happen again! You took everything from me…and in return, I shall take everything from _you_!"

The air around them exploded with light, the surrounding area becoming engulfed in waves of indigo light that swept across the ground, radiating from where Lavos stood. The creature towered above Exsul by at least several feet, its huge trisected mouth big enough to swallow him whole at a moment's notice and comprising of the majority of its head. Lavos' mouth flared open, releasing a ground-shaking scream filled with rage, gnashing row upon row of hooked fangs. Exsul let loose with his own war cry, darting directly towards the creature that had twice destroyed his world, his crimson eyes locked dangerously upon the center of Lavos' mouth. In an instant, there was a sparkle of light within as Lavos inhaled an impressive blast of air, making Exsul stop dead in his tracks; he had seen this tactic before…so long ago when he first confronted Lavos, when the creature had claimed the life of that spiky-haired fool that would later return to defeat him. Lavos' mouth flooded with a blinding white light before firing a detonation of energy directly at Exsul. The sorcerer dodged the attack just in time as it burned past him, nearly singeing some of his flowing lavender-blue hair in the process; exploding to his feet, Exsul continued on. Lavos followed up this attack by launching several thin spikes into the air, which seemed to hone into Exsul's position as they arced in the air, hurdling towards him like a volley of arrows. Exsul whirled his scythe about, knocking as many out of the air as he could before they could connect with their target; he was determined that this time around, whatever Lavos threw at him would not be enough to keep him down. Exsul leapt into the air, high above the approaching torrent, stopping suddenly and holding himself in place; holding his hands out in front of him, he produced a steadily-growing ball of light that floated just ahead of his outstretched palms. The orb exploded noiselessly, sending several missiles of energy cascading towards Lavos, striking him over and over, leaving burned patches across his shell where they hit. Lavos let out an enraged cry; Exsul knew it wouldn't be enough to kill him, just enough to weaken him so he could continue his assault. He landed just in front of Lavos, mere inches from the monster's gaping jaws, his scythe engulfed in a glowing crimson red. Whipping the scythe in an upward arc, the blade sliced cleanly through its neck, leaving a flashing trail of red glowing across its flesh. Lavos screamed out in agony as the three sections of its jaws toppled to the ground; Exsul stared directly into the cavernous gullet before him as it pulsated with raspy breaths. Remembering the battle that his world's former heroes endured with Lavos, Exsul stared into the wide-open fissure down into Lavos' throat; the outside of Lavos' body was only the beginning of the nightmare…he would have to destroy its core.

"I'm going to regret this…" Exsul muttered.

Lavos roared in pain once again, making the opening more than big enough for Exsul to fit through; without hesitation, he dove in. Lavos' throat closed around the sorcerer, sealing him inside; the creature foolishly thought he had won for the moment, a fact that would soon be its undoing.

Deep in the clammy darkness of Lavos' core, Exsul closed his eyes and concentrated. Floating into the air, shards of light emanating from his chest began to cut through the atmosphere. Moments later, the rays of energy exploded into a gigantic dome of iridescent light, flooding the whole of Lavos' body as it grew in magnitude and potency.

Lavos let out an anguished scream, the kind that would make the blood in any grown man's veins curdle. Shafts of light began to poke their way through the thick spiked armor of the creature's shell. Soon, the light cut through him like blades as his outer shell pushed outward, becoming engorged from within. There was a moment of all-too-late realization in Lavos' eyes just seconds before exploding with brilliant light, sending chunks of the creature flying across the area on which it stood. As the blinding illumination faded and the smoke cleared, Exsul hovered within the epicenter of the blast, floating just above a gigantic crater resembling an exploded pineapple where Lavos once stood. As he placed his feet upon the ground, Exsul collapsed to his knees, taking deep breaths to calm himself as his heart felt ready to explode in his chest; the attack was on a much larger scale than the one he had used against the Heartless on Destiny Islands, and took much more out of him as a result.

"No more…" he said almost silently through heaving breaths. "You will plague me…no more…you vile creature…"

The scene around him faded, and once again, he found himself surrounded by darkness; the only thing to guide his path was what looked like a doorway, glowing with brilliant light…

…..

The former mercenary found himself walking through the threshold of a dark-stained wooden doorway. There were faded bricks laid out at his feet, stretching out in every direction before him. Dim-colored walls and wooden furniture were laid out before him, and an old familiar smell of stewing meat and vegetables greeted his nose, making his mouth start to water. The kitchen was directly before him, looking like something out of an old mountain cottage; there was a large stock pot sitting neatly upon a wood-burning stove, and standing before it was a slender woman with a white apron tied neatly around her waist. Her hair was the same sunshine-yellow as Cloud's, gravity-defying spikes going in every direction with a neatly-braided ponytail resting between her shoulder blades, and she was gently stirring the contents of the pot with a long-handled wooden spoon. As he took a step forward, her head lifted as she slowly peeked over her shoulder, smiling brightly at him with gentle blue eyes.

"Well, this is a nice surprise." She said in a vibrant tone.

Cloud's eyes went wide, his mouth drooping open in disbelief.

"M…mom?" He finally managed to get out.

"Well, don't just stand there…come on in; let me have a look at you." She answered with a smile, beckoning for him to enter.

When Cloud was 16, he came home to an all-too-similar scene such as this. Just a day afterward, his home was burnt to the ground, and his mother murdered; this was all far too good to be true. He carefully took a few steps forward, taking in the sights around him.

"You look awfully skinny, Cloud," she began, looking him up and down with a warm smile plastered on her face. "You are getting enough to eat, aren't you?"

"Sure…" Cloud answered, paying more attention to his surroundings than to her.

He took a seat on his bed nearby, leaning forward and rubbing his eyes with one hand. She absently went back to her duties in the kitchen, paying his confusion little mind.

"I was so proud when you joined the army…" she said brightly. "Ever since you were a kid, all you ever talked about was being just like the great Sephiroth…oh, how you looked up to him…"

She turned to face him, her bright expression becoming cold and condescending, and her voice taking a cold and disapproving tone.

"It's really too bad that you failed so horribly." She added flatly.

"Excuse me?" Cloud asked, head rising and voice sounding somewhat annoyed.

"I guess not _all_ of my children can be perfect…" she grumbled icily. "You will never be _anything_ like Sephiroth!"

Cloud rose to his feet, taking his Buster Sword in hand, and moving a few steps towards her. She responded by feigning a hurt and frightened expression, her voice suddenly gaining a soft and panicked tone.

"Why, Cloud…you wouldn't kill your own mother now, would you?" She asked mockingly.

"You're a terrible actress, Jenova…" Cloud replied with a leveled gaze. "Your mind games won't work on me anymore."

Cloud took a few more steps towards her, stopping within about an arms length of her.

"I suppose every family has their black sheep…" she said, voice returning to the icy, disapproving tone. "But you will always be my puppet. Do you honestly think that you can defeat my son?"

Cloud smirked, giving a slight chuckle.

"It's not _me_ that Sephiroth should be worried about!" Cloud retorted.

With that, he reached back for a moment before thrusting forward, stabbing her cleanly through the abdomen with his large sword, removing the blade from her cleanly. She stumbled back a few paces, placing her hand over the wound before looking up at him with a sinister glower in her eyes, licking the blood from her hand with a sadistic grin. Bluish-black tendrils snaked across her skin from the fresh crimson wound, spider-webbing over her slender form until they enveloped her completely. In an instant, a fiery explosion surrounded them; the once peaceful hamlet becoming engulfed in a blazing inferno, creating a charred crater where Cloud's childhood home once stood and sending the former mercenary toppling over onto his back. Thick black smoke poured into the air and flame reached for the heavens, encircling the two of them. At the epicenter of the explosion, Jenova rose to her feet; the blackness that cocooned her faded and it its place stood her slender form, all pale sky blue skin with deep purple veins etched across it like a patchwork, the top of her head adorned with several elongated tentacles in place of her hair. Cloud picked himself up off the charred earth, looking upon her for a moment; it was the first time since all those years ago he had seen her in her true form rather than some monstrous façade twisted by Sephiroth's influence. Plucking up his sword from the ash-covered ground, he took up a fighting stance, waiting for her next move.

"Do you _really_ think the Keybearer stands a chance against Sephiroth?" Jenova asked, her voice chilly and somewhat seductive, overlaid with a hollow echo, an evil smirk crossing her thin lips.

"Sora is one of the greatest warriors I've ever had the pleasure of knowing," Cloud answered proudly, offering a slight smirk of his own. "And your 'son' is nothing but a lost little boy with mommy issues."

Jenova's lip curled into a sneer, growling low in her throat.

"I used to admire Sephiroth…" Cloud admitted. "I grew up with the stories of how great a warrior he was, how no one had ever seen him bleed or cry…but you know what the best part is about that little legend?"

Jenova's growl deepened as she hunched over slightly, looking like a cat ready to pounce.

"I've made him do _both_!" Cloud exclaimed, exploding forth with sword at the ready.

Jenova dove forward as Cloud approached, arms outstretched towards him. Once Cloud was within reach of her, he flipped into the air, spinning around before hitting the ground and slashing downward as she passed beneath him, cleaving a clean slash across her back. She stumbled forward, catching herself with one hand before rising slowly to her feet; the wound down her back steadily stitched itself back together before fading completely as if it had never been there. Whipping her head around, she grinned at Cloud evilly as he looked on with a raised brow; without hesitation, she kicked back, hitting him squarely in the chest and sending him flying backwards towards the wall of flame. As Cloud flipped backward, he stabbed the tip of his sword into the ground, cutting a jagged trail across the earth to slow himself down. As he landed back on his feet, Jenova immediately exploded after him, unleashing a wave of punches and kicks that Cloud had little difficulty in dodging. One of her punches flew wildly past his face, her knuckles brushing his cheek ever-so-slightly as her arm reached into one of the open flames. She immediately pulled her hand back, screeching in agony before Cloud was able to knock her back with the flat of his blade catching her hard across the gut. The agonized scream of his attacker gave him an idea; he lay down his sword, burying the blade into the raging inferno while keeping the hilt a safe distance from the fire, then immediately turned his attention back towards Jenova. Her pain seemed to subside as she glowered at him menacingly, perched and ready to strike; her arm taking several minutes to slowly piece together its seared flesh whereas the simple slash of his blade had taken only seconds. She once again darted towards Cloud, unleashing a flurry of punches that he dodged and parried with a few stiff jabs of his own. As he brought his fist towards her with amazing strength and speed, she caught the blow in mid air, snaking her skeletal fingers across his knuckles and gripping his hand tightly. As Cloud struggled to free himself, she hauled back with her free hand, attempting to land a blow of her own; Cloud, however, caught her punch just as easily as she had caught his.

"Give up, Cloud…" she hissed. "You are no match for me! Surrender now, and I'll persuade my son to let you live…as our puppet!"

In a flash, she released a current of arcing electricity through his body, glowing crimson red and tearing him apart from the inside out. Cloud could feel his knees begin to shake and buckle; clenching his muscles tightly, he tightened his grip on her, struggling to maintain consciousness under the assault.

"Never again…" he grunted with gritted teeth. "This time…I'll make sure…you _stay_ dead!"

Cloud broke free from her with some kind of unseen force, sending the two of them hurtling backwards from each other in an explosion of crackling energy, both of them landing hard on their backs, mere inches from the licking flames. Cloud rolled over onto his stomach, propping himself up on his knees and elbows, coughing and gasping for air as a small number of bolts of lightning streaked across his skin. It wasn't long after his recovery that he had noticed a shadow creeping over him; Jenova had to be standing behind him, ready to finish him off.

He couldn't let that happen…Sora and Exsul were counting on him.

Reaching for the handle of his sword, he pulled it from the flames; the metal of the blade glowed red-hot, a few flames rising from it here and there. Without hesitation, he leapt to his feet, spinning around and slashing out with a double-handed grip on the Buster Sword. The strike caught Jenova entirely off guard as it streaked across her chest, cleaving a deep wound in her flesh that burned across her skin. She doubled back, writing with pain as the fresh wound seared into her tissue. Cloud exploded forward, knowing that he couldn't allow her even the slightest chance to recover; he unleashed a flurry slashes, the blade of his Buster Sword cutting streaks of red-orange light across the air as he did so. Each strike made her stumble back more and more as she struggled to not only defend herself, but to concentrate on healing; both were to little avail, as Cloud's attack was as quick as it was relentless. Each strike burned through her flesh, cauterizing upon contact and smoldering with a sickening sizzle. Within moments, her back was to the towering wall of flames, and cloud stood with the tip of his sword mere inches from her face, arm outstretched and gaze leveled at her as she heaved in ragged breaths and showed a slight tinge of fear in her eyes as she locked gazes with him.

"You…can't…do this…" she pleaded. "I am…eternal…"

"Watch me." Cloud answered simply, his voice grumbling.

Without hesitation, Cloud spun around, decapitating Jenova with an effortless horizontal slash of his sword, burning through her neck cleanly as her head toppled backwards, becoming instantly consumed by the flames as her headless form crumpled to the ground moments before it, too, was consumed by the raging inferno. Cloud stood for a moment, catching his breath as the blade of his sword began to cool. The flames steadily died down, disappearing altogether along with any trace of Jenova; the blinding darkness once again surrounded Cloud, save for the brilliantly-glowing white light of what looked like a doorway, laid out directly in front of him.

…..

The stifling darkness was replaced in an instant by the shining sun in a crystal blue sky, covering him with its gentle warmth. As his eyes peeled open, he realized he was standing on a beach not unlike that of his childhood home; as his eyes continued to focus against the bright contrast of his surroundings, he noticed the cerulean ocean lapping against the shore, not far from a twisted-looking tree. A voice called out to him, one familiar and soothing.

"Sora, you lazy bum…" the sing-song feminine voice called to him. "Are you going to lounge around on the beach all day?"

"Kairi?" Sora asked quietly, blearily shifting his gaze towards the voice.

It wasn't long before another voice pierced through the air, this one the strong yet gentle voice of a young man, as a firm hand clasped on his shoulder.

"Let him be, Kairi." The young man called to her.

Sora's head cranked around as he slowly turned towards the source of the young man's voice, his mouth falling agape and eyes going wide as they fell upon the gentle sparkle of deep emerald, framed by wisps of spun silver. He tried desperately to speak, but found himself unable to do so, no matter how hard he tried.

"Welcome home, Sora…" the young man said with a warm smile.

…..

**Longest. Chapter. Ever! Hopefully it was worth the wait. Until next time…**


	19. The Fated Hour

**A/N: Don't pee on the electric fence…trust me, it's a bad idea. Here comes Chapter 19! Wheeeee! (No, I'm not high…I swear)**

…..

A light jingle sounded as Kairi pushed the door open, the aromatic scent of freshly ground espresso greeting her senses as she entered the coffee shop. Immediately she softly padded across the hardwood floor in the direction of their usual table, her sandals slapping against her heels as she did so. She slid the chair out delicately, sliding into her seat; it wasn't long before Yuffie followed in after her, taking the seat across from her a bit less gracefully than Kairi had, plopping down in her chair with a rush of air escaping her lungs. Kairi smiled cheerfully at her as they exchanged their hellos, and although Yuffie was more than relieved that the sorrow plaguing her best friend had seemed to fade entirely, there was something that was clearly troubling her.

"What's wrong, Yuffie?" Kairi asked with a bit of a frown.

There was seldom an instance when Yuffie was not in a bubbly and vibrant mood; even when she was angry she never seemed to lose that glowing aura of hers…something was decidedly wrong.

"We have a problem…" she answered with a bit of ice on her tongue, glancing momentarily over to the counter.

Kairi turned her head towards the counter, taking in a sight that was as sad as it was amusing; Selphie was darting back and forth, struggling to keep up with the morning rush (which was really only five customers). Clearly this wasn't something she was used to as she normally only worked the afternoon shifts a few days a week, but most importantly, something was missing…or rather, someone.

"Where's Leon?" Kairi asked, turning back around to face Yuffie with a look of concern on her face.

Yuffie huffed loudly and shook her head, clearly annoyed.

"Fucking idiot…" Yuffie growled lowly.

"Yuffie!" Kairi's eyes went wide with shock.

"He left last night…without telling anyone, mind you…" she added.

"What?" Kairi breathed quietly, leaning forward towards Yuffie.

The two of them were momentarily interrupted by Selphie as she arrived at their table in a rush, setting their usual order down hurriedly (albeit swapping them around mistakenly) and hurried off after apologizing for the wait in an explosion of breathless words. Kairi could see Yuffie's face start to turn a pinkish color as Selphie left their table; she knew Yuffie would probably blow up at Selphie at any second, and would feel terrible about it afterwards. Kairi calmly reached forward, switching their cups around gently before placing her hand lightly on Yuffie's wrist in a soothing gesture, smiling warmly at her with those sparkling doe eyes of hers. Yuffie took the hint, taking a deep breath and offering her own half-assed smile in reassurance. Yuffie took a tiny sip of her drink before setting it down gently, trying to relax.

"Okay…so, what happened? Where did Leon go?" Kairi asked calmly.

"I'm not sure exactly…King Mickey's castle, I'm assuming." Yuffie answered, her voice a bit more thawed than it had been a few seconds ago.

"What makes you say that?" Kairi inquired.

Yuffie produced a tiny piece of parchment paper from her pocket, setting it on the table gently and sliding it towards Kairi with the tip of her finger. The edges were charred and black, as if Yuffie had pulled it from a fireplace; in the center was that all-too-familiar royal seal that Yuffie had seen far too much of lately.

"But…why would King Mickey call for Leon? That doesn't make any sense…" Kairi added.

Yuffie was silent for a moment, but it was all the time Kairi needed for her fears to take over; she placed her hand up to her lips, breathing a shuddered gasp.

"What about…Sora?" She asked apprehensively, her voice sounding positively shaken.

"Sora's just fine, Kairi." Yuffie said reassuringly, offering her a warm smile. "He's the toughest guy I know…it's going to take a lot more than Sephiroth to stop _our_ Keybearer!"

Kairi let out a small laugh, and a bit of a sigh of relief, her fears abating for the time being.

"All I can figure is that King Mickey wants to use Leon as a back-up, in case something goes wrong." Yuffie added.

"That doesn't make any sense!" Kairi exclaimed with a bit of annoyance. "Sora has never once failed King Mickey! Does he really have _that_ little faith in him?"

"I can't say for certain," Yuffie answered, leaning back in her chair a bit. "He thinks Sora is too blinded by revenge to successfully battle Sephiroth. And as for Leon…"

Yuffie let out a small annoyed chuckle.

"I think part of it is that he's eager to prove himself, no matter what the cost. I know he feels he could have done more when Sephiroth attacked, but between you and me…I think he wishes it was _him_ that died instead of Riku." Yuffie added.

"But…why?" Kairi asked, seeming confused as to why a proud warrior like Leon would care so little about what happened to himself.

"Ever since his world was destroyed, he's felt…inadequate." Yuffie explained. "He lost everyone he cared for; he thought of himself as their leader…their protector…and he thinks he failed them."

Kairi shook her head, reaching to her cup and taking a drink.

"I'm just…afraid, Kairi." Yuffie admitted.

"Of what exactly?" Kairi asked.

"I'm afraid that Leon will do something that he's going to regret…"

…..

The scene before the Keybearer was uncanny; every last detail of his island home stretched out before him in every direction, and yet at the same time seemed to be taken out of some three-dimensional photograph. The air about him was calm and didn't seem to be blowing at all, the ocean lacked even the slightest ripple on its glassy blue surface, and even the sun in the sky seemed to offer little warmth as it normally would. The obvious fact of what was missing seemed barely noticeable to him though, like a minor annoyance that he put in the back of his mind; the fact that he was standing here with his two best friends was overwhelmingly pleasant. Kairi, the love of his life, and Riku, the sturdy rock that protected Sora like an older brother since they were kids; it was all too good to be true, which could only mean one thing…

It probably was.

Sora walked towards the ocean, gazing out over the horizon and trying to clear the swimming thoughts in his head; in this moment, he had everything he could ever want…Riku was alive and well, and Kairi had a light in her eyes he hadn't seen since the day the darkness crept over their world and turned it on its axis.

_I should be happy_. He thought.

"Aren't you happy to see us, Sora?" Riku asked, as if reading the questions in his mind.

Sora turned around to face Riku, glancing from those piercing emerald eyes over to Kairi's bright smile and then back again.

"I don't know…" Sora said shakily. "I don't know what to think right now…this all seems so…"

"Look," Riku started as he stepped towards Sora, gripping him by the shoulders firmly yet gently. "You've been gone for a long time now. This should be a happy occasion, right? So no sad faces! Just…let it go."

Sora's eyes met Riku's and peered into them for a moment; the young man before him looked like his old friend without question, but there was something missing in those eyes of his…something hollow. Riku's last words echoed in Sora's head, and as he looked into Riku's eyes, the gentle emerald shifted to an eerie-glowing green and his voice became chilly.

_Just…let it go._

Sora's eyes shot open for a moment, which he tried to hide from being obvious. Suddenly, the pieces in Sora's mind started to fit together; he remembered the foreboding cave and the stifling darkness, the way his companions had disappeared into nothing one by one…

Yes, too good to be true, indeed.

"I suppose you're right…" Sora said plainly as Riku put his hands back down to his sides. "There's just one problem…"

"Oh?" Riku asked with a look of concern on his face. "And what might that be?"

"You're a terrible actor…" Sora replied flatly. "Sephiroth."

"Sora?" Kairi called to him from a few paces behind Riku. "Who is…Sephiroth?"

Just then, there was a low rumble, and something streaked across the sky that resembled a crack in a mirror.

"Sora, relax," Riku said soothingly. "It's just us…your friends. You're home now, Sora…you're safe."

"NO!" Kairi shrieked in dismay, making Riku jump; Sora, however, paid it little mind.

Kairi looked down at her hands in horror as her skin became washed in pitch black, starting at her fingertips and moving steadily up her arms.

"Seems like your losing control." Sora spoke up with a smirk.

A look of slight panic crossed Riku's face as his head whipped around towards Kairi. The darkness had completely covered her, and she crumbled into a pile of fine black ash, flashing him a look of horror as she did so. Riku's mouth gaped open in shock as he slowly turned back to face Sora, a look of contrived fear in his expression.

"I thought…this is what you wanted…" Riku stammered out.

"It is, more than anything…" Sora admitted.

"As was finding my sister…" a somewhat cold voice called from behind them.

A pillar of light rose from the ground, fading away slowly as Exsul stepped through.

"Or seeing my mother again…" another calm and confident voice called from behind.

Not far from Exsul, another pillar of light faded away to reveal Cloud standing with his Buster Sword clasped in hand, resting gently across his back.

"But what I want more than anything, Sephiroth…" Sora added, narrowing his gaze as his Keyblade appeared in hand. "Is for you to die."

Riku's fearful façade faded into a wicked and twisted grin as his eyes started to glow palely with an unnatural green. Wispy trails of darkness rose from his skin as the likeness of Riku slowly faded, a single black feathery wing bursting from his back. Without hesitation, Sora thrust his Keyblade forward; instead of making contact with flesh, the blade passed cleanly through a cloud of black smoke as the form in front of him dissipated in a matter of seconds, followed by a hollow and evil laugh. The crack in the sky splintered out in all directions, covering the serene crystal blue before shattering into millions of pieces, revealing a pitch black sky with a blood-red sun.

"I should have known the three of you could not be so easily fooled…" Sephiroth's chilly voice called seemingly from nowhere before he slowly reappeared just above the surface of the ocean, whose tide was now a raging torrent.

"Sephiroth," Cloud started, pulling his sword from where it rested on his back. "Jenova is dead."

"As is Lavos." Exsul added, pulling at the glove on his left hand and wiggling his fingers to fit them inside more tightly.

"All that leaves…" Sora said icily, pointing his Keyblade directly towards Sephiroth's gaze. "Is you!"

"Fools…" Sephiroth hissed. "You know _nothing_!"

"Only fitting that you should die the confident fool you are…" Exsul growled lowly.

"Mother and Lavos are no more dead that _you_ are," Sephiroth said pointedly, all but ignoring Exsul. "You see, when I created this planet I also created within it a Lifestream similar to that of my world, thanks to the knowledge passed down to me by Mother."

"Lifestream?" Exsul asked with a quirked brow.

"Think of it this way," Sephiroth explained. "When something or someone dies here, their life energy returns to this planet's core, keeping it alive. As I did with my world, I have kept myself contained deep within the planet so that I could merge with the very energies that keep this planet alive, absorbing it into myself. All of those Heartless you killed when you arrived here only served to make me stronger."

The Trinity exchanged glances, a look of horrified realization crossing their respective faces for a moment; everything they had done up to this point had actually helped their enemy.

"What about Jenova and Lavos?" Cloud asked, the question directed more towards Sora and Exsul than towards Sephiroth.

"As you know, Cloud…" Sephiroth continued with his villainous monologue. "Everyone that Jenova kills becomes a part of her, just as the energy Lavos absorbs becomes a part of him. When you destroyed them, they thus became a part of me. In short…all their knowledge and power is now mine to do with as I see fit; and after I'm finished with the three of you, this universe will be at my mercy!"

Sora turned towards Sephiroth, standing tall and seeming completely unfazed by this revelation; his eyes narrowed, and his overall posture resembled something that no ally or adversary had ever seen before.

"Are you done?" Sora asked coldly.

Sephiroth let out a light chuckle, his thin lips angling into an evil smirk. An entangling cloud of darkness snaked its way around him, covering him in a shroud of black; the only visible sign of Sephiroth was the spooky glow of his eyes, which shifted from pale green to blood red. Blades of red light cut through the cloak of darkness, exploding in a blinding flash that made the three warriors shield their eyes momentarily. When the intense radiance faded, Sephiroth's form had taken on a drastic and evil transformation. His flowing silvery hair was replaced by whipping tentacles of dull gray, snaking about wildly. He had grown a set of enormous imposing spikes lining his back, not unlike that of Lavos, with a pair of black-feathered angelic wings sprouting from his shoulder blades. Entrails of wispy black encircled him, creating an absence of light in the area around him. Finally, his skin had become black as pitch, ending in a set of hooked claws at his fingertips. His mouth cracked open into a sadistic grin, his teeth seeming to be filed down into razor-sharp points. A low and rumbling cackle escaped from his throat as he stepped onto the shoreline, eyeing the Trinity like a predator stalking its prey.

"Ready?" Sora called back to his two companions, his demeanor unwavering even in the slightest.

Cloud took up a fighting stance, placing a double-handed grip upon his Buster Sword as Exsul planted his scythe firmly in the ground.

"For the sake of this galaxy and all those innocent lives within…" Exsul stated, gaining a heroic tone to his emotionless voice.

"This ends here…one way or another." Cloud added, narrowing his gaze at his lifelong enemy.

"For my home…for Riku…" Sora said, holding his Keyblade loosely in his right hand, closing his deep blue eyes for only a moment, before snapping them open. "I'm sending you back to Hell, even if I have to take you there _myself_!"

The three of them charged forward; Cloud veering to the right, Exsul taking the left, and Sora directed straight towards their demonic foe. They each exploded into a flurry of slashes, punches, kicks, and whatever else they could think to throw at Sephiroth, all to little avail as he parried each of them with ease. Pushing each of them back for a moment, he started with Exsul, grabbing him unforgivingly by the throat and throwing him backwards to land roughly in the coarse sand. Then it was Cloud's turn, catching his Buster Sword neatly between his two hands as Cloud swung downward, pushing the imposing blade aside and striking Cloud directly in his sternum with an open palm, sending him sprawling backwards. Sora would not be daunted by this; he knew no matter what, they had to stop Sephiroth, even if it meant their lives. The Keybearer did as much as he could to keep Sephiroth on his toes, dodging as many of his enemy's attacks as Sephiroth had of his; the results of his training shone through as he struck out with fluid slashes and crisp blows. Eventually, an upward-arcing slash came within inches of Sephiroth's neck as he shifted to the side just in time, narrowly missing him and instead cleaving a few of the snakelike tendrils from his head. Sephiroth growled in a brief moment of agony before sending Sora reeling with a stiff backhand, catching him hard across the side of his face. The blow stung like the crack of a whip, splitting the corner of his mouth and creating a pencil-thin line of bright red blood that trailed down to his chin. Cloud and Exsul joined him at either side, showing the visible effects of their respective wounds as Sora slowly hefted himself to his feet.

"_That_ could have gone better…" Cloud noted with a hint of sarcasm to his voice and a slight wince.

"What do you suggest we do?" Exsul asked in a low, pained voice.

Sora stood tall, taking a deep breath for a moment; he looked almost serene, truly an island of tranquility in a roaring sea of chaos.

"I have an idea…" Sora spoke up. "It's something I've only done a few times in the past…but it may be our only chance here."

"What is it?" Cloud asked, turning his head to look at Sora.

"We merge ourselves into a single form…" Sora suggested.

"Combining our respective strengths..." Exsul added. "King Mickey had said that you and the previous Trinity had done so before."

"There's only one downside…" Sora explained. "We'll be severely weakened afterwards. If this doesn't work…"

Cloud clasped a hand on Sora's shoulder.

"We have to try." Cloud said simply.

Sora looked to Cloud, then to Exsul, nodding slightly. Exsul followed suit, placing a hand upon Sora's shoulder.

"We have faith in you, Keybearer." Exsul added. "We would not have followed you this far if we hadn't."

"Cloud, Exsul…" Sora said a bit solemnly before leveling his gaze at Sephiroth's snarling, writhing form. "Let's finish this!"

Sora placed a double-handed grip on his Keyblade, raising it high in the air. The Damascus-style etchings in the blade shone with a brilliant white light that cascaded down the length of the blade before consuming it entirely, bathing the trio in its glow. In an instant, their three forms became encased in white light, exploding into a brilliant flash, making Sephiroth shield his eyes with a pained groan. He shook his head, trying desperately to refocus his vision; what met his gaze when he did so was as pure as it was powerful. The outline of Sora's form and clothing could be made out, although featureless and drowned in blank white, save for his glowing blue eyes that now burned with the intensity of a supernova. In one hand was Sora's Keyblade, and in the other was Cloud's Buster Sword, both glowing like twin fluorescent bulbs. A set of wings grew from his back, angular and a bit demonic, resembling the wings of a dragon. The stark white glow lowered in intensity, yet still caused Sephiroth's eyes to strain just to look at him. Sephiroth's lip curled as he let out a low growl, charging at this newfound sight before him, swiping down wildly with his clawed hand as he approached. Sora reached his Keyblade up, catching the creature's hand in mid-air with the flat of the blade to stop his assault, and just as quickly delivering a snapping kick to his chest, sending him reeling. Sephiroth hunched over slightly, launching a volley of blazing energy from the spikes on his back that came raining down upon Sora shortly thereafter. The attack was easily dodged by Sora as he sprung backwards, dodging each individual bolt as it reached him in a seemingly effortless display of athleticism. Sephiroth immediately took advantage of Sora being on the defensive, diving towards the Keybearer to catch him off guard, releasing a punishing volley of punches, knees, and elbows; the attack worked to catch Sora by surprise as he momentarily dropped his dual weapons. Sephiroth saw an opportunity to deliver a crushing blow to his enemy, once again raising his clawed hand to bring it down hard across Sora's face; Sora lowered his stance mere seconds before the blow would have landed, thrusting his elbow forward and adding extra force to it by pushing his fist forward with his free hand, catching him in the crook of his ribcage and crushing the air from Sephiroth's lungs. Sora's eyes narrowed at his enemy, looking into the breathless expression on his face with an expressionless glare; it was Sora's turn. Spinning back around on his heel, Sora caught Sephiroth hard across the face with a stiff backhand, thundering across his flesh with a roaring clap like the firing of a revolver. The blow sent Sephiroth reeling backwards several steps, prompting Sora to dart forward, peppering Sephiroth with an array of punches, each one landed with precision accuracy and the same thunderous roar as they had before, each strike sending Sephiroth reeling as he let out a wounded howl. Finally, when it appeared Sephiroth had taken a sufficient beating, Sora leapt into the air, whipping his leg out in a blur, ending with the top of his foot connecting solid with his enemy's jaw. The two of them seemed to be suspended like this for a moment before Sephiroth finally went tumbling backwards, sprawling out over the sand, his weakened muscles trembling as he tried desperately to lift himself to his feet. Sora kept his narrowed eyes locked on his opponent, reaching down to grab his armaments. Holding them out to either side with outstretched arms, a swirling flash of fiery light exploded from the ground about Sora's feet, kicking up a blast of sand into the air. As the flash faded, Sora's eyes opened fully, shining with a blazing blue the likes of which no one had ever seen as he made a beeline for his wounded foe. In an explosion of speed, Sora was directly in front of Sephiroth, slashing, stabbing, and striking him over and over with both his Keyblade and with the Buster Sword, almost disappearing completely from sight before and after each blow connected, surrounding Sephiroth in punishing blows. Suddenly, Sora appeared directly in front of Sephiroth, leaping into the air above him and raising both swords high into the air; as he did so, a blinding iridescent light shone from the tips of the respective blades. He locked eyes with Sephiroth only for a moment before crashing down upon him with a thunderous downward slash that exploded into a powerful dome of light, drowning out everything around them and leaving a crater upon the earth where they both stood. As the dust settled and the glow faded, Sora stood tall over the lifeless form of his adversary, staring down at him with flashing blue eyes. Sora dropped to his knees, his brilliant white glow fading and his form returning to normal as Clound and Exsul appeared next to him, kneeling upon the ground. The three of them looked nothing short of exhausted, as if they had just finished running a marathon; Cloud attempted to heft himself to his feet, but his knees buckled and we went right back down to the ground. Sora was the first to stand, using his Keyblade as leverage as he did so. He strained for a moment, struggling to stay upright, before offering his hand to Cloud. Sora pulled him to his feet, straining to do so at first until Cloud was pulled up enough to stand on his own; Sora was no slouch when it came to physical strength, but even still, Cloud was almost completely dead weight. Sora steadied him for a minute until Cloud nodded to him before turning and doing the same for Exsul. The trio each looked down upon Sephiroth's defeated form, each warrior putting their respective weapons away.

"Is it over?" Exsul asked, clutching his left shoulder in hand and standing a bit stooped.

Sephiroth's body slowly became washed in a dull black as his body slowly eroded into the earth below.

"It would seem so…" Cloud said, releasing the grip on his Buster Sword as he placed it shakily against his back.

Cloud and Exsul each exhaled a small breath of relief, which they both tried to keep to themselves to maintain their respective cool and collected air. Sora, however, seemed unusually quiet given the victory they had just acquired. Cloud reached a hand out for him, gripping his shoulder lightly and giving it a little shake. Sora's head dipped down a bit as he slowly closed his eyes.

"It's over, Sora…" Cloud offered to him soothingly. "We did it…_you_ did it."

"No…" Sora muttered so quietly that it was almost unheard.

"What is it, Sora?" Exsul asked, looking up at him with a quirked brow.

The façade of an island around them faded slowly, just as the decomposing body of Sephiroth had, revealing them to be standing in a large, flat area not unlike the surface of this world was as they arrived; only the pale glow of what resembled a distant moon seemed to give them any illumination. The atmosphere around them became thick with an unnatural chill.

"I can still feel him…" is all Sora could manage to say, moments before the barely-visible silhouette of a lean figure could be seen walking towards them.

Sora's gaze slowly lifted, his brilliant blue eyes glowing weakly as they met with twin tiny orbs of pale-glowing green.

…..

**Another long chapter, but I had to wrap up the battle sequence and leave this thing ambiguous as to the next chapter. Hope you enjoyed it, and if you would, please read and review.**


	20. Oblivion, Part One

**A/N: Been hooked on **_**Californication**_** lately; amazing how watching a show about a struggling writer can inspire you to write! Anyone know of any shows out there about a struggling overnight millionaire? All seriousness though, thanks for reading.**

…..

For the first time in their long journey, the collective Trinity seemed at a loss. Cloud and Exsul seemed barely able to keep their muscles working enough to stand upright, while Sora himself seemed hard-pressed to keep his cool air about him; frankly, they were all exhausted, and the sight before them did little to aid in their fatigue. Sora kept his eyes locked on the approaching figure, his Keyblade that normally seemed light as a feather suddenly weighing a ton as it had the first time he wielded it. The shadowy figure continued making its way towards them, eyes locked on Sora more than anyone else. Bits and pieces of the man came into view; smooth and bare porcelain-white skin pulled taut over lean muscle, long-flowing locks of straight hair trailing behind and catching the pale glow like stained glass, jet-black pants that flared out baggily from a pair of knee-high boots, and in hand a sword with a long and slender blade that ended in a slight wicked upward curve at the tip that rested across the figure's back and pointed into the sky.

"Impossible…" Exsul breathed in a mix of disgust and annoyance.

"Damn it…" Cloud groaned painfully.

The figure came in to full view, as if stepping into an unseen spotlight, stopping a good distance away before pulling the sword from behind his back, raising it level and pointing it directly between Sora's eyes.

"Sephiroth…" Sora spat lowly in abhorrence.

"I must say, Keybearer," Sephiroth began in his icy voice, a thin-lipped smirk crossing his expression. "I'm impressed."

Sora stood silent, a bit of glow returning to his cerulean orbs as his gaze narrowed.

"I never thought in a million years you would come this far." Sephiroth explained. "Mother and Lavos have been reduced to all but a memory, and my connection to this world is fading. But not to worry…"

Sephiroth cocked his head to the side, offering an evil grin.

"Your brother is still right _here_," he added, tapping his temple with his free hand, and then glancing to Cloud and Exsul respectively before returning his gaze to Sora. "They are _all_ right here!"

"You son of a bitch…" Sora growled through gritted teeth.

"Nevertheless, I am disappointed…" Sephiroth admitted. "What ever happened to that delicious rage I felt in you back on Destiny Islands? What happened to your fear? Your darkness?"

"Why don't you ask Jenova?" Sora retorted, adding a mocking flavor to his voice, causing Cloud to smirk to himself for a moment.

"Tell you what, Keybearer," Sephiroth continued, his voice clearly showing that Sora's words had angered him. "I'll allow you one final chance at absolution; deliver yourself and your Keyblade to me, and I will spare your friends and that miserable little rock you call home."

"You are truly a fool." Exsul spoke up. "Sora will _never_ join you!"

"We shall see about that…" Sephiroth responded, narrowing his eyes. "Won't we?"

Sora took a step forward, Cloud reaching weakly for him as he did so. Sora put a hand up in protest, prompting Cloud's hand to lower.

"Everything I've done up to this point, Sephiroth," Sora began, pointing the Keyblade down to his side. "Has been for one purpose; to see you defeated. You can shatter every bone in my body, spill every last drop of my blood, but what I stand for will never die."

"Do tell, Keybearer…" Sephiroth mocked. "What is it that you drives you? The thought of returning home victorious and living a fairy tale romance with that pathetic redhead who refused to wait for you? Maybe it's the thought of taking revenge for that friend of yours that I killed…the one who aided in her heartless betrayal. Why, the way I see it…you should be _thanking_ me!"

Sora's grip on the Keyblade tightened slightly.

"Think of the _salvation_ I could offer you…" Sephiroth continued. "Never again would you feel painful heartbreak, no more suffering in silence for bearing the curse of a warrior's obligation…anything you want or desire would be at your very fingertips! Just _imagine_ it, Sora."

Sora's eyes closed for a moment, bowing his head ever-so-slightly. Admittedly, what Sephiroth was offering would have tempted anyone in Sora's position, especially knowing the heartache he had felt since the day he returned home. Without question, there had been many tragedies in Sora's life; at the same time, however, they had actually helped to shape him into the person he was today.

"I offer you this chance only once, Sora…" Sephiroth pressed.

Cloud and Exsul looked to Sora, and for the first time felt a tinge of doubt, even if it was ever so slight.

"You make a tempting case, Sephiroth," Sora finally spoke up. "However, you underestimate me."

Sephiroth's brow quirked at this.

"It's true, I've dealt with my fair share of tragedy since becoming the Keybearer…even more so in the recent months…I've lost so much that it would seem difficult for me to carry on." Sora began, keeping his head bowed for the time being. "However, everything I've been through up to this point has shaped me into who I am today. I've conquered my darkness, accepted my fate…and have realized that I can no longer dwell on what I've lost; instead, I have learned to be grateful for what I still have. Cloud and Exsul have helped me to realize that all along, I have had the strength I needed to defeat you, Sephiroth…and that's _exactly_ what I plan to do!"

Sora's gaze lifted, a fire lighting his ocean-blue eyes.

"_E Tenebris Lux_, Sephiroth…out of darkness, light." Sora added, leveling his Keyblade with Sephiroth's gaze. "For my home…for Riku…for myself…I will end your miserable life!"

"A pity…" Sephiroth scoffed, his wry smirk fading into a slight scowl. "And I thought you had such potential. You will _never_ be like me!"

A flash of white lightning streaked across the sky, thundering with a loud clap in the distance.

"Best news I've heard all day!" Sora retorted with a scowl of his own. "After all, I may have my own demons to conquer, but it beats the hell out of being crippled by mommy issues and the constant feeling of inadequacy."

Sephiroth's eyes widened for a moment, narrowing once more when he heard the suppressed snicker of Cloud coming from behind Sora's back. Exsul's brow quirked, trying to figure out Sora's sudden strategy of a verbal assault, and then it became perfectly clear; up until now, Sephiroth had done everything he could to get inside Sora's head, to fill him with anger and doubt and break him down to the point where Sephiroth could easily pick him off…and now Sora was using the same strategy against his opponent, trying to put a crack in that cool exterior.

"Although I do admire your strategy of trying to bore me to death with your super villain monologue," Sora added. "I'm ready to finish this!"

"Then finish it…" Sephiroth began, placing a double-handed grip on his sword. "We shall!"

With that, Sephiroth took off running, making a beeline for the Keybearer. Sora soon followed suit, darting straight towards his enemy. Cloud and Exsul exchanged glances, wordlessly asking each other if Sora was either incredibly brave, or foolish. Even being as physically exhausted as they all were from their recent transformation, Sora seemed to be running on pure adrenaline…or determination. Above all else, he wanted this over with as much as his companions did. Cloud placed a weak grip on his sword, taking a single step forward before Exsul's outstretched arm stopped him.

"This is his fight, Cloud…" Exsul explained simply. "Just as you conquered your demons by facing Sephiroth, so now must he."

Cloud looked at Exsul for a moment, and then nodded.

"You're right; we've done all we can…" Cloud replied simply, eyes returning to Sora. "This is _his_ fight now."

Simultaneously, the two enemies leapt into the air, jumping straight towards one another with swords drawn and at the ready. There was a thunderous crash of lightning as their respective blades connected, seeming to cause the both of them to remain suspended in mid air for a moment before they each landed gracefully upon the earth, placing a hand out to support themselves as they did so. They each turned to look at one another, Sephiroth gaining a satisfied smirk on his face as he noticed a long gash trailing up the length of Sora's arm and glowing red with fresh blood. Sora seemed to pay it little mind, offering a smirk of his own and tapping the cheek on the left side of his face. The gesture momentarily confused Sephiroth until he reached his hand up, wincing slightly as he touched a fresh wound that ran from the edge of his eye socket down to his jaw line, causing his expression to become angered; a fact that was compounded by the mocking smirk on Sora's face as he mouthed something silently towards Sephiroth (a decidedly short word starting with a hard "P" sound). Again, Sephiroth charged forward towards Sora as his opponent followed suit, the two crossing swords in a shuddering clang of metal on metal; much like Cloud had done with his own unruly-looking sword, Sephiroth wielded his blade with amazing speed and accuracy with Sora matching him blow for blow, catching the downward arc of Sephiroth's slash by holding his Keyblade with a backhanded grip along the length of his arm.

"You fight well, Keybearer…" Sephiroth said with a smirk, straining to move his blade forward despite Sora's efforts to the contrary. "Where ever did you learn such skill?"

"From your mother…" Sora answered mockingly, pushing back sharply on his Keyblade to fling Sephiroth backwards.

Sephiroth gracefully flipped backwards, landing delicately on his feet and seeming to float in midair as he did so and stabbing the tip of his sword cleanly into the terrain below. Suddenly, he slashed forward, cleaving a deep line in the ground and flinging chunks of rock towards Sora as he did so, which Sora cleanly ducked out to the path of. Without warning, gigantic pillars of black landscape rose from the earth, covering their battlefield in all sorts of daunting obstacles, with one in the not-too-far distance towering well over the top of the others and resembling a sort of hastily-constructed mountain. Sora rolled forward as one of the columns began to rise from directly where he was standing, springing to his feet and darting towards Sephiroth with his Keyblade resting loosely across his shoulders. Sephiroth ran forward, springing into the air and running vertically up the length of a nearby mast, Sora following directly alongside him. The two exchanged blows along the way, parrying each other's strikes perfectly, without either one of them showing signs of fatigue. As soon as they reached the peak, both warriors leapt into the air, continuing their exchange until Sora came crashing down with a swift double-handed slash, sending Sephiroth hurdling towards another of the columns. Sephiroth caught himself, placing his feet directly on the side of the pillar and launching himself back towards Sora, making the earthen structure crumble and topple to the ground as he did so. Sora raised his Keyblade just in time to catch Sephiroth's strike; however, the sheer force of it sent him hurtling backwards. Employing the same tactic that Sephiroth had just before him, Sora launched himself from the face of a nearby pillar back towards his opponent. A cloud of dust kicked up seemingly from nowhere, obscuring Sora's view of his enemy. Catching himself on the top of another of the columns, Sora's eyes darted around, trying to find where Sephiroth had hidden himself, almost realizing all too late what had kicked up the swirl of soil to begin with; there was a thunderous crack followed soon by the imposing tumble of a large section of earth, being hurdled directly for Sora. Leaping from his perch, Sora leveled himself with the makeshift boulder, making a lightning-quick cross-slash and neatly dividing it into sections that passed harmlessly beside Sora. It was shortly afterwards that the dust cleared enough for Sora to see what was directly in front of him; the cliff face of the makeshift mountain. Reacting on instinct, Sora stabbed forward, lodging his Keyblade in the rock to catch himself, kicking his feet forward to swing around the blade like a trapeze, perching on top of it delicately so as to maintain his balance. A distant, evil laugh directed his focus upward where he regained focus on his enemy, standing atop the summit of the mountain.

"This is pointless, Keybearer," Sephiroth called down to him mockingly. "What could you possibly have left to fight for?"

"Are you still breathing?" Sora retorted before raising a hand towards Sephiroth, beckoning him to come towards him.

With that, Sephiroth dove forward, twirling around and slashing out at the rock behind him, cleaving into the façade cleanly before jumping out of the way; suddenly a thunderous crack echoed through the air before the top of the mountain came crashing down. For a moment, Sora stood and watched, waiting for the opportune moment to make his move. There was another rumbling echo just moments before the crashing peak exploded into hundreds of smaller chunks of earth; Sora knew his time to act was now, flipping backwards and grabbing his Keyblade out of the rock, he planted his feet firmly along the side of the mountain, launching himself backwards without time to look behind as he did so. Glancing over his shoulder, he spotted the peak of a nearby column not far from him; however, his attention returned forward just in time to spot Sephiroth launching towards him like a harpoon, his sword pointed directly towards Sora's heart. The two of them crashed directly onto the peak of the nearby column, making a booming explosion of dust and earth fly into the air and obscuring everything from view. Cloud and Exsul looked on in disbelief, trying to focus their vision through the destruction to see what was happening, hoping desperately to confirm Sora's safety after such a brazen surprise attack.

"Amazing…" Exsul breathed. "I could barely follow their movements."

"I guess our training paid off…" Cloud said amazedly.

The dust finally began to settle; at first, all that could be seen was Sephiroth, standing with his sword stabbed towards the ground. The most horrifying of this sight was that Sora was completely unseen from his companions' point of view, causing them to hope for the best and fear for the worst. As the rest of the dust cleared, however, Sora could be seen standing on a single foot, balancing perfectly upon the tip of Sephiroth's sword. Sephiroth's gaze slowly lifted, looking at Sora in disbelief as Sora looked at him, smirking mockingly.

"C'mon, Sephiroth…" Sora started with a cocky tone to his voice. "Surely you can do better than _that_!"

Sephiroth gritted his teeth angrily at Sora, narrowing his eyes in annoyance just moments before Sora spun backwards, throwing a stiff heel hard into the side of his face. The attack sent Sephiroth flying, making him ricochet off of the side of a nearby pillar like a skipped rock on a pond. Sora immediately dove after him, pummeling him with swift attacks during their freefall that Sephiroth parried, albeit with an increased sense of difficulty. Landing momentarily prior to Sora, Sephiroth spring boarded backwards, trying to gain some distance between the two. Sora gave chase immediately, driving Sephiroth back with a series of slashes and thrusts that his opponent narrowly dodged and parried. Working their way backwards out of the veritable forest of raised pillars, Sora kept Sephiroth on the defensive with his calmly aggressive assault, displaying never-before-seen style with the Keyblade. Sephiroth quickly came to the realization that he was losing ground, and that if this kept up, victory would soon belong to the Keybearer. He planted his back foot firmly in the earth, catching Sora's downward slash by holding his blade horizontally, absorbing the full force of the blow before pushing back, causing Sora to stumble ever so slightly. Spinning on his back heel, his forward leg whipped around, arcing upward and catching Sora squarely up under his chin. Sora's teeth slammed together with a sickening clap, stars blotting his vision, his arms flaring out wildly; Sephiroth let loose with a whipping slash of his sword, colliding directly with the blade of Sora's weapon and sending it flying from his hand. The Keyblade skittered and skipped across the smooth rock, spinning to a halt several feet from his grasp; Sora looked directly into Sephiroth's eyes as the cunning foe gained a satisfied, albeit exhausted expression upon his face. Sora rose to his full upright posture as Sephiroth reached back, thrusting forward with an explosive stab that hurtled towards Sora with all the speed of a bullet. For Sora, time seemed to slow to a crawl as the reflection of Sephiroth's approaching attacked flashed across his eyes. Sora's eyes slowly slid shut for a moment, a voice from within urging him to remember his training just as flashes of his sparring sessions with Cloud flickered through his mind like a slideshow. Sora's eyes snapped open; in a single fluid motion, Sora shifted to the side as the blade passed harmlessly past him. His one hand hooked around the Masamune's blade and caught it harmlessly in mid-strike; his free hand struck out, hitting the flat of the blade firmly with the heel of his palm, dislodging the handle from Sephiroth's white-knuckled grip. As the flow of time seemed to return to normal, Sora pivoted on his back heel, tossing Sephiroth's sword to the side moments before connecting the back of his hand to Sephiroth's jaw, his knuckles expertly hitting the pressure point just behind the jaw and below the ear, making the silver-haired villain's head swim.

"That was for Riku, you son of a bitch…" Sora growled, turning his head to the side to spit a bit of blood upon the ground.

Sora followed that up by sending his fist crashing square into Sephiroth's mouth, making him drop back a few steps and put his hand to his lips in response.

"That was for my home…" Sora continued, a glare flashing in his cerulean eyes as he continued to step forward, catching Sephiroth's gaze for a moment. "And this one…this is for _me_!"

With that, Sora brought the steel toe of his boot straight up and between Sephiroth's legs; for the first time that anyone had recalled hearing, Sephiroth let out a pained howl as he dropped hard to his knees. Sora took a few more steps forward, his distant Keyblade fading in ethereal light before instantly reappearing in his hand. Without hesitation, Sora placed the point of the Keyblade below Sephiroth's chin, lifting his gaze to meet Sora's. Everyone, Sora's companions and Sephiroth alike, were almost certain of what was to come next as Sora's burning eyes bored daggers deep into his enemy's soul, his jaw visibly clenching.

"Do it…" Sephiroth groaned goadingly, wincing so slightly it was barely noticeable.

What happened next shocked every last one of them…even Sora couldn't quite believe what he was doing, but it somehow felt more justified than the alternative; Sora lowered his Keyblade, spiriting it away with a single thought.

"No…" Sora replied triumphantly. "You will live, Sephiroth…you will live with the shame of having _everything_ you care about taken from you…until you slowly fade into nothing, and are once again completely forgotten. _That_, for you, will be a fate worse than death."

Looking up to the sky for a moment, Sora turned away, walking back towards his awaiting companions. The world around them began to shake and tremble weakly, the enormous structures where Sephiroth and Sora had had their final battle beginning to crumble to the earth from whence they came; it was clear that with Sephiroth defeated, the world he created would soon fade with him.

"N…no…" Sephiroth protested weakly before his face faded from a look of utter defeat to one of pure rage. "_Never_! I will never again be just a memory!"

Sephiroth exploded to his feet, eyes burning with rage and teeth clenched and seething, barreling directly for the Keybearer. Sora turned just as Sephiroth approached him, grabbing either side of his hoodie and flinging him weightlessly to the side. With eyes still burning, Sephiroth strode over to his sword, plucking it from where it rested on the ground and returning his gaze to Sora with a sick and maniacal grin.

"Sora!" Cloud called out to him, hefting the Buster Sword from his back and running towards the fallen hero.

"Cloud, no!" Exsul called out in protest, but to little avail.

Sephiroth immediately turned his attention towards his old enemy; although killing Sora would be a victory in and of itself, murdering Cloud would be like the proverbial icing on the cake. Cloud charged forward, making a wild overhead swing; normally, the Buster Sword would have been handled with an unprecedented ease by the former mercenary, but in his current weakened condition, it appeared that it indeed did weigh a ton. Sephiroth neatly blocked the incoming assault, disarming his old nemesis and knocking him to the ground, leveling the tip of his sword with Cloud's heart. Sephiroth's eyes narrowed into slits, a look of desperate rage upon his face, looking like a king cobra ready to attack its prey. Just as Exsul exploded from where he stood, Sephiroth's eyes went wide with shock, making Exsul stop dead in his tracks. Cloud's eyes, too, widened as Sephiroth's attack halted so suddenly. Sephiroth made a weak wimpering sound deep in his throat, dropping the Masamune to the ground with a clattering bang. An explosion of blood spewed forth from Sephiroth's mouth, coating his teeth red and staining the ground before him. He shook momentarily before slowly looking down to see the blade of Sora's Avenger protruding cleanly through his torso, much as his own blade had done on at least two previous occasions. Just as suddenly, the blade was withdrawn from Sephiroth's chest, making the once-powerful enemy drop to his knees in a crumpled heap; behind him, Sora stood tall, looking down upon him with a mix of disgust and regret.

"You fool…" Sora spoke with the same odd mixture in his voice.

Sora stepped around him, walking over to Cloud and helping his mentor to his feet as Exsul strode up beside them. Each of them looked down at the fallen foe before them, who now more resembled a wounded gazelle than a raging lion, his arms resting heavily at his sides like fallen trees. Sora turned to him once more, watching as the pale, eerie glow faded from his eyes.

"Are you OK, Cloud?" Sora asked without looking away.

Cloud placed a firm hand upon Sora's shoulder, giving it a light squeeze; it was all the response Sora needed. The three of them watched as the color faded from Sephiroth's flesh as he slumped to the ground. The slight rumble that they felt before became drastically more eruptive, the raised pillars crumbling to dust and roadmap-like cracks etching along the surface. The three of them stumbled about, trying desperately to maintain proper footing.

"What the hell's going on?" Cloud shouted, placing his sword against his back and widening his stance to compensate for the shaking ground.

"The planet's falling apart!" Sora exclaimed, reaching a hand out and locking it around Exsul's wrist as he was about to fall.

"We have to get out of here…and fast!" Exsul added.

Without warning, the distant moon exploded into a raging black hole, flashing with rays of blinding light that collided with the surface of the planet, tearing cleanly through its surface. Sections of the planet exploded forth from the surface, disintegrating entirely into swirly wisps of dust, immediately being pulled into the wormhole above. Suddenly, a wave of complete and total disintegration slowly began to sweep over the entire surface of the planet, as if the layers of the planet were being peeled away one by one. The Trinity immediately took off running in the opposite direction, trying to buy as much time as possible. The plan worked only for a moment before Exsul was pulled into the air, disappearing in an explosive flash of light that seemed to tear him apart from inside out. Cloud looked back in shock, unable to do anything to save his comrade; charging forward he called out to Sora.

"Sora, get out of he…" Cloud's barely-audible voice was abruptly cut off as he, too, was swept up in the approaching wave of destruction.

Sora's heart sank deep into his chest; Cloud and Exsul were gone and he was alone. Mustering all of the strength he had left, Sora pushed himself to run as fast as his feet could carry him, leaping desperately into the air as the tidal wave of obliteration nipped at his heels. Sora closed his eyes tightly, seeming to become suspended in mid air as everything around him slowed to a crawl.

_This is it…_ he thought to himself.

Sora felt something slam into him from behind, feeling as if his body were being torn apart from every angle, and then stopping just as suddenly. It was then he realized that he was no longer moving, that even the air around him had gone entirely still; something bright and shining blinded his vision, even through his tightly-shut lids, making him weakly shield his face with his arms. Even through the visual assault, however, Sora sensed something comforting…something soothing his panic and whispering to him that everything was going to be just fine. His eyes peeked open slowly, a slightly-blurred hand reaching towards him with palm upturned. Sora's mouth drooped open in disbelief as he slowly reached his own hand towards the other, grabbing on to it lightly.

Before Sora could wrap his mind around the sight before him, a comforting white light encompassed him, pulling him into a state of dreamlike peace.

…..

**Definitely **_**NOT**_** the end! Stay tuned, kids.**


	21. Oblivion, Part Two

**A/N: A little fun fact for you; if you start playing "A One-Winged Angel" (the one from **_**Advent Children**_**) at paragraph 28-32 (depending on your reading speed) of chapter 20, it syncs up with the whole battle sequence…seriously. **_**Dark Side of the Moon**_** can suck it!**

…..

The white light was at the same time both stifling and comforting, causing the Keybearer to blink his eyes blearily to regain his focus against the visual inconsistency from the almost pure blackness of Sephiroth's makeshift world. There was no noise, not even the slightest waft of wind; there was simply nothing…the feeling was as discomforting as it was oddly peaceful.

_Am I…dead?_ Sora asked himself, although the thought seemed to echo aloud.

Sora's eyes closed heavily for a moment, before a familiar voice cut through the silence.

"Far from it, old friend…"

Sora's eyes shot open, his mouth gaping open ever so slightly as a familiar figure clad in a completely white three-piece suit approached.

"Riku…" Sora breathed almost silently.

His soft emerald eyes seemed to shine with a light all their own, a warm smile gracing his lips as he approached Sora, placing his hands upon his shoulders. The Keybearer stood still for a moment, unsure of what exactly to say. Tears welled up in his oceanic eyes, collapsing forward and embracing him tightly; Sora was strong and rigid at first before overwhelming emotion took over, the tears flowing freely from his eyes as Riku returned his embrace, once again stemming the tide of Sora's emotions. Sora quickly composed himself as Riku backed away, keeping his gentle grip on Sora's shoulders.

"Do not despair, brother…" Riku offered with the warm smile never fading. "I am at peace now…thanks to you, I'm free."

Sora's eyes gave away the fact that there were a hundred questions flashing through his mind.

"Where…are we?" Sora finally asked.

"Somewhere safe…" an angelic female voice called from the distance.

Sora's gaze slowly shifted to the side as the form of a stunningly-beautiful woman came into view, sky-blue hair tied up in a high ponytail at the crown of her head and cascading down her fragile milk-white skin like a waterfall, flowing lavender robes trailing delicately behind her.

"Greetings, Keybearer," she began in a soft voice that brought with it an instant comfort. "Thank you for saving us."

Sora blinked heavily, seeming even more confused than he had before.

"Forgive me…" she added, sensing his confusion. "I will summon your companions; that should make things…easier for you. After all, it is only fitting that they should join you here after coming so far."

The woman had a somewhat odd way of speaking, sounding almost royal; it was as if she came from somewhere centuries in the past; it was elegant and proper all at once. As soon as the words escaped her lips, Cloud and Exsul appeared as if out of nowhere, standing still and blissful with their eyes closed, just as Sora had when he arrived. They, too, opened their eyes blearily, looking about as if awakened from a deep slumber. While Cloud looked about in a state of disbelief, letting out a relieved breath as he noticed Sora and Exsul, Exsul's eyes opened wide as his mouth gaped slightly, looking as if he had seen a ghost.

"Schala…" Exsul breathed quietly. "Can it be…?"

The angelic figure before them smiled brightly, melting the enigmatic sorcerer's icy façade. Immediately, she approached him with a floating grace, wrapping her arms around him. Exsul stood rigid for a moment, then collapsed into her and buried his face in her shoulder, as if finally exhaling after a lifetime of holding his breath. He couldn't help but let out a choked sob, a flood of tears flowing from his tightly-clenched lids.

"I knew you would come for me, brother…" the woman said soothingly. "I never lost hope even once."

Exsul took a step back, lowering his head a bit.

"I apologize…I was not able to find you sooner." Exsul admitted sadly. "I wasn't…strong enough…"

Schala placed a comforting hand upon her shoulder, causing his pained gaze to lift and meet her own.

"You came for me…" Schala added. "That's all that matters."

Cloud walked up to Sora, placing a hand upon his shoulder, causing the Keybearer to turn and look at him. Riku took a step back, his warm smile never fading.

"I'm proud of you, Sora," Riku admitted. "I know you and I have always tried to outdo one another…but to tell you the truth, I always knew that you were stronger."

Sora laughed, feeling like it was the first time he laughed in ages, that bright white smile of his shining through after a prolonged absence.

"That's why I gave you my Keyblade." Riku continued. "You were the only one who I could trust to unlock its potential."

"I had a little help with that, you know…" Sora admitted sheepishly.

"I know…I've been watching…" Riku added. "You've come a long way, Sora. I know it hasn't been easy for you."

"Yeah, that training _was_ kinda rough." Sora replied.

"I don't just mean the training, Sora…I mean…_everything_." Riku said, his smile becoming somewhat sad before fading away.

Sora's head hung a bit as he took a deep breath.

"I told you not to worry about it." Sora said flatly.

"There's no point in hiding it, Sora," Riku replied. "I know what we put you through…"

"Do you?" Sora asked pointedly.

Riku's head hung sadly.

"I understand…your heart was in the right place…" Sora added. "But you knew…you've always known how I've felt about Kairi."

Sora stepped forward, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I've never hated you, though…" Sora admitted. "Not even in the slightest."

Riku looked up and smiled.

"Sora, I need you to do something for me, okay?" He asked sincerely.

"Anything." Sora answered without hesitation.

"I want you to go home to her; to make her happy…it's what Kairi…what _both_ of you deserve." Riku pleaded.

"Riku…" Sora began to protest, but Riku cut him off with a raised hand.

"She's _your_ light, Sora." Riku retorted, stepping forward. "Stop over-thinking for once and do something that _you_ want; to hell with everything else…you owe it to yourself."

Sora's signature smile graced his lips, the icy wall built up around his heart shattering into a hundred pieces. A gentle hand touched his back; turning his head around, Sora was met with the soft gaze of Schala's sparkling eyes.

"I hate to do this, Sora…" she started soothingly. "But it is time for us to go."

Sora's face slid, a sad expression crossing his face as his smile faded. Schala patted his back gently, stepping around him to stand next to Riku.

"With Sephiroth dead, and his connection to Lavos and Jenova severed, we are finally able to move on." Schala explained. "Thanks to you, we are finally free."

Sora looked from Schala to Riku, his head dipping for a moment before he lifted his gaze once again, offering a single nod in agreement.

"I understand…" Sora replied simply.

"It is time for me to depart as well." Exsul added, stepping over to join Schala at her side.

"Exsul…what are you doing?" Cloud asked, stepping up to Sora side and looking at the sorcerer questioningly.

"For years, my quest has been to find my sister." Exsul explained. "Now that I have, I can finally be at peace."

"My brother understands what will become of him," Schala added. "This is his decision."

Sora took a step forward.

"Exsul…" Sora began. "I respect your decision, and I wanted to say thank you…for everything."

"You needn't thank me, Keybearer," Exsul explained, gaining a small smile upon his face. "Your dedication to both your duties as the wielder of the Keyblade, as well as your loyalty to your friends is an admirable quality that few share. I only wish that I were as strong as you when faced with such tragedy."

Cloud took a step forward, offering his hand to Exsul, which the sorcerer took firmly.

"You're one hell of a warrior," Cloud offered. "We couldn't have done this without you."

Sora offered his hand as well.

"Take care of yourself." Sora added as Exsul accepted his gesture.

"I will…" he answered. "But there is one final request I have of you both…"

Cloud and Sora nodded in unison.

"Call me…" he began, looking momentarily to Schala with a smile. "Janus."

At that, Schala and Janus turned and began to walk away into the distance. Riku stepped over to Sora, the two of them embracing one final time.

"We will meet again, Sora…" Riku said simply. "Have faith."

"Count on it." Sora replied.

Riku offered his hand to Sora, which Sora took firmly. Riku offered his gentle smile once more before all before them became flooded with white light. Sora and Cloud each shielded their eyes until the brightness faded, each of them seeming to have a burdened weight lifted from their shoulders. For a moment, everything around them was silent and still; a familiar gruff voice breaking through the peacefulness of it all.

"The _hell_ did you two come from?"

Sora and Cloud's eyes peeled open, becoming wide when they realized where they were standing.

"_The Bahamut_?" Sora questioned with a surprised tone. "How did we get here?"

Cloud looked around blearily for a moment, spotting Cid standing in the doorway to the cockpit, and realizing that they were standing directly in the common area of their Gummi Ship.

"How in the blue hell should I know?" Cid answered annoyedly. "All I know is you guys scared the shit outta me!"

"Some things never change…" Cloud said coolly as he took a seat in one of the nearby chairs.

"So, what happened, kid?" Cid asked Sora, all but ignoring Cloud. "Did you kick that long-haired emo's ass or what?"

Sora stood still, not answering Cid's question, just standing with his head lowered and eyes fixed upon his right hand, which he still held outstretched as if it was still holding on to Riku's.

"Hey, spike-head! I'm talkin' to you!" Cid shouted, causing Cloud to clear his throat loudly to get Cid's attention, making an across-the-throat slashing motion with his hand.

Sora slowly pulled his hand back, keeping it held tightly shut, his gaze never averting from it for a second. Something was strange about all of this; it felt as if there was something clasped tightly into his palm. Slowly opening his hand, Sora saw a glint of metal and a thick silver chain, causing his mouth to drop open and his face to go pale.

Placed neatly into the palm of his hand was his signature crown necklace, the same one he had placed in Riku's lifeless hand at his funeral.

"Impossible…" Sora breathed quietly. "It can't be…"

"What is it, Sora?" Cloud asked, rising to his feet.

Before he knew it, Sora collapsed to the floor in a lifeless heap. Cid rushed to catch him, narrowly pulling him into his arms just seconds before his head hit the ground. Cloud leapt from where he stood, immediately joining Cid.

"What the hell happened?" Cid asked, his stern voice suddenly becoming concerned.

Cloud immediately checked Sora's pulse, placing his fingers upon Sora's wrist before leaning down to make sure he was still breathing.

"He's fine, Cid…" Cloud explained, sitting up and letting out a relieved breath. "He's asleep…exhausted…"

"Kid about gave me a goddamned heart attack." Cid retorted, standing to his feet.

Cloud slowly lifted Sora up, placing him delicately into one of the couches in the common room and placing his head carefully upon a few strategically placed pillows.

"You should have seen him, Cid," Cloud began, looking down upon Sora protectively, his voice full of pride. "There wasn't a single second where he let up…he knew he couldn't let Sephiroth win. When he defeated him, he even spared his life, refusing to kill him…and when Sephiroth tried to kill me, Sora saved my life…"

"Wish I could have been there to see it." Cid replied, flopping down in one of the chairs and placing a cigarette to his lips. "God knows Sephiroth had it coming. Did he actually do it?"

"He did…" Cloud said, looking to Cid and nodding. "I don't think he wanted to, but it was that or let Sephiroth kill me. Sora finally had enough, I guess."

"That's three times now, Cloud," Cid said through an exhale of smoke. "Hopefully the son of a bitch _stays_ dead this time."

"You and me both, old friend," Cloud replied, crossing the room and reclaiming his seat, slouching down and tilting his head back. "You and me both."

…..

Sora hazily opened his eyes, scanning about the room; a few hours had passed since his blackout and save for a slight throb in his forehead, he seemed to be doing alright. Sitting up slowly, he looked down to his hand, still tightly clutched into a fist. Slowly uncurling his fingers to find his necklace still in place, he smiled to himself, placing it around his neck and fastening the clasp that seemed to have repaired itself somehow. Glancing over to the nearby porthole, he could see streaks of white passing by, indicating that they were on the move. He closed his eyes for a moment, a soft smile gracing his lips as the thought of returning home entered his mind. The mechanical whirr of the cockpit door sliding open jolted him from his thoughts; looking over, he saw Cloud standing in the doorway.

"Feeling better?" Cloud asked before crossing the room to sit across from him.

Sora nodded, stretching out his arms as a rippling pop came from his lower back.

"Where are we?" Sora asked, leaning forward and rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

Cid stepped through the cockpit door, stomping across the room and plopping down in one of the free chairs.

"Well, I've got good news and bad news." Cid answered with his voice a mix of anger and annoyance. "Good news is, we're on our way back…bad news is…"

He paused, taking a long drag of his cigarette.

"We're headed for King Mickey's castle." Cid finished.

Sora's head snapped up with a look suggesting that Cid's news wasn't exactly what he wanted to hear right now.

"Not by choice…" Cloud continued, sensing the next obvious question on Sora's mind. "The autopilot kicked in just a few minutes after you passed out."

"I tried overriding it, but there's this failsafe that was installed without me knowing…got a pretty nasty jolt from it when I tried to sever it manually." Cid explained, forcefully butting out his cigarette in the nearby ashtray. "Mouse-eared little prick…"

"No doubt he's going to try and relieve Sora of his Keyblade." Cloud said flatly. "He wasn't exactly happy about us going on this mission…and then there's what Sora said to him before we left…"

Cid laughed gruffly at Cloud's last comment…but Sora clearly wasn't amused by the news that they were headed to King Mickey's castle.

"I don't care." Sora replied, a hint of ice to his voice. "If he wants my Keyblade, he's more than welcome to _try_ and take it!"

"Let's try to be optimistic here, kid." Cid retorted. "Yeah, his royal mousiness is a total pain in the ass, but he's not an _entirely_ bad person. You killed Sephiroth…he's done terrorizing the galaxy, the day is saved, and you're a hero…what could possibly be more important than that?"

Cid stood up, striding over to a nearby wall and opening a waist-high fridge that seemed to blend in entirely. A clinking of glass could be heard, and when Cid walked back there were three frosty-looking brown bottles in his hand, which he then distributed to Cloud and Sora, keeping one for himself.

"Let's not worry about it for now." Cid spoke up, sitting down in his chair triumphantly. "Let's celebrate our victory!"

With that, Cid popped the top off of his bottle, taking a long pull of it before setting it down with a satisfied sigh. Cloud soon followed suit, noticing out of the corner of his eye that Sora hadn't touched his yet. He looked to Sora, holding up his bottle in a "bottoms up" type of gesture, and noticed the somewhat sheepish expression on Sora's face.

"Uh…" Sora started somewhat nervously. "This is kinda embarrassing, but…I've never drank beer before…"

Cid chuckled at this.

"Well, aren't you a regular boy scout!" Cid exclaimed. "Just drink the damn thing before it gets warm!"

Sora popped the cap off, placing the bottle to his lips slowly before taking a long drink from it, swallowing in one gulp. The aftertaste got to him immediately, causing him to grimace a bit, which made Cloud and Cid laugh for a moment.

"Not bad…" Sora said, trying oh-so-convincingly to hide the grimace on his face.

The air aboard the ship became lighter, coupled with the fact that the buzz from their beverages started to kick in. The three of them laughed and carried on, trading stories and generally doing what one might call "bullshitting". Surprisingly, Sora was able to hold his own for the most part, despite being such a "boy scout" as Cid so eloquently put it. Just as it had been on their way to confronting Sephiroth, their journey back to King Mickey's castle would take them about a month to complete. For now, however, the three of them had little to worry about; they had come a long way on this mission, been through the somewhat torturous process of facing one of their greatest battles, and had come out victorious. Despite what may be waiting for them once they arrived at King Mickey's castle, little mattered compared to the good times being shared at this very moment.

Time to celebrate, indeed.

"Hey, I almost forgot…" Cid spoke up, suppressing a burp. "What happened to that pointy-eared guy you guys came here with? Ex...somethin'…"

"Exsul." Cloud answered. "His real name was Janus Zeal; one of the truest warriors I've ever had the pleasure of working with. I'll admit, I thought he was kind of stuffy when we first met, but I think towards the end Sora and I saw him for what he truly was…what truly inspired him. We couldn't have done it without him."

"He found his sister…" Sora continued. "After all of those years of searching, all the torment he put himself through, all the pain and suffering. I can only imagine what seeing her again must have done for him. In the end, he chose to stay with her."

"Good for him," Cid replied with an approving nod, raising his bottle towards the center of them. "To Janus…"

Cloud and Sora raised their bottles, clinking them together with Cid's.

"To Janus." They said in unison.

...

**Kind of a short chapter compared to some of the others I've done recently, but I wanted to end this on a positive note. Next chapter we get in to Sora's journey home; all I can tell you for now is…his battles are far from over. Stay tuned.**


	22. The Lion and the Crown

**A/N: Please read and review…I know I sound like a broken record here, but I would love to know your thoughts on this story (good or bad). Also something to note, "Exsul" will from here on out be referred to in the narrative as Janus (unless referred to by someone outside of the Trinity). Just thought I'd clear that up and give our departed comrade-in-arms the honor he deserves.**

…..

Aboard _The Bahamut_, the month-long journey seemed to be going by at the speed of light. The crew's anticipation of returning to their respective homes was palpable, with the unknown of what still awaited them pushed to the backs of their minds.

Sora kept himself busy, utilizing the training tactics he had learned from Cloud and Janus along the way, at very least practicing a few hours every day. Cid, of course, thought Sora was nuts; after all, Sephiroth was defeated…King Mickey couldn't possibly be _that_ big of a worry…could he? Nevertheless, Sora decided to himself that the level of discipline and skill that he had obtained during their journey was something that he would choose to maintain. He had always taken it easy after a big victory such as this, optimistic that he had saved the galaxy and that an era of peace would soon follow; sadly, that was never the case. That happy-go-lucky spirit of his seemed to return almost completely upon Sephiroth's defeat, but even so, he wasn't about to let his guard down. The boy had in every way become a young man, ready to take on anything life could throw at him; that wouldn't change just because his enemy was dead.

Cloud joined Sora on several occasions, working to perfect his incredible skill should he ever be faced with such difficult challenges again. On three separate occasions now, Cloud had faced his mortal enemy; if anyone understood Sora's motives, it was him. The greatest moment in any teacher's eyes is when they are surpassed by their student; in Cloud's mind, Sora had risen above and beyond any expectations that Cloud and Janus had of him during their training. Now, Cloud was looking to further hone his skills so as not to lose his edge. As part of the Trinity, Cloud would stay beside Sora, no matter what the conflict; he felt as though he owed the Keybearer as much for saving his life.

…..

The sun set upon another day on Destiny Islands, igniting everything in its path a fiery reddish-orange before finally dipping below the horizon. The sky became washed in a brilliant blue-black, peppered with white dots of varying sizes and intensities; the lack of a moon in the sky made the stars pop that much more. Propping herself up on her arms, Kairi leaned back, staring up into the sky and letting her bare feet sink beneath the cool sand just near the shore. A gentle breeze kicked up across the beach, tossing her feathery shoulder-length crimson-red hair every which way. Her eyes slid closed blissfully for a moment, taking in a deep breath as the salt of the air tickled her nose. A little ways up the beach, Tidus and Wakka were playing a friendly game of volleyball, each of them ribbing the other obnoxiously; every now and then, they would erupt into boisterous laughter, but Kairi paid it little mind. Selphie was parked neatly in the sand beside them, watching the ball bounce back and forth like a perched kitten, cheering wildly whenever Tidus would spike the ball down on the other side of the net. Some soft steps padded across the sand, coming up beside Kairi; they were light and delicate, making her decide it had to be Yuffie. The female ninja took a seat next to her, easing herself down into the sand as if trying not to disturb her even the slightest bit.

"Hey Yuffie." Kairi greeted her cheerily.

Yuffie jolted a bit from where she sat.

"Jeez…" Yuffie gasped, making Kairi giggle.

"Beautiful night, isn't it?" Kairi asked, peeling her eyes open slowly.

"Sure is…" Yuffie agreed, mimicking Kairi's posture and gazing up into the stars. "Very peaceful…aside from our resident cheerleader, of course."

"You're terrible!" Kairi laughed, causing Yuffie to stick her tongue out at her jokingly.

For a moment, they just sat, neither of them saying a word until Yuffie finally broke the silence.

"I swear, when he gets back, I'm buying him a cell phone…" Yuffie started, not so much annoyed but a tad worried. "One with an intergalactic calling plan."

"For who?" Kairi asked, turning to look at her. "Leon?"

"For _Sora_." Yuffie corrected. "This waiting for him to get back is _killing_ me!"

"You and me both…" Kairi admitted, returning her gaze skyward. "I'm sure he's alright though…I have this feeling…like he's on his way back home. It's like…I can _feel_ him…getting closer."

"Yeah, I know," Yuffie responded. "It's been nearly two months now, though…and you know how 'patient' I am."

Kairi laughed, elbowing Yuffie in the ribs lightly, causing Yuffie to push Kairi over into the sand in response; they both began to laugh as Yuffie helped her sit back upright.

Far away in the distance of the night sky, a single star flashed with a brilliant light.

…..

Down the long expanse of burgundy carpet leading up to the throne, one of the palace guards approached King Mickey, padding along the plush fiber with a clinking of chainmail. Stopping short of where King Mickey sat perched upon his throne, the guard straightened his posture, offering a respectful salute. The King rose to his feet, offering a salute in return.

"What have you to report, soldier?" King Mickey asked, beckoning for the guard to relax.

"You asked me to report as soon as I had any further news regarding the Keybearer, Your Majesty." The guard began.

"And…?" King Mickey urged.

"The homing beacon we placed aboard _The Bahamut_ suggests that they have just dropped into orbit above the planet." The guard continued. "They should be en route to the docking platform momentarily."

"Excellent." The King replied, stepping down from his throne. "Go and ensure that Sora is escorted directly here as soon as he arrives."

"Yes, Your Majesty." The guard answered, giving another stiff salute before executing an about-face and striding down the carpet, disappearing out the gigantic double doors to the throne room.

Just as promised, a small gathering of palace guards awaited the returning Gummi Ship as it gently perched upon its designated spot in the hangar. The landing struts momentarily hissed with plumes of steam as the gentle hum of the engines faded. _The Bahamut_'s crew stared out the cockpit window, looking down at the squad of soldiers waiting for them, each of them looking like cookie-cutter duplicates of the other. Cid flicked a few toggle switches, completing his post-flight procedures before turning in his seat, glancing to Sora and Cloud before dipping his head with a groan.

"Some welcome…" he grunted disapprovingly. "What do you suppose they want?"

"Only one way to find out." Sora answered simply, rising to his feet. "Lower the ramp, Cid, let's get this over with."

"I'm coming with you." Cloud said, standing up from his seat.

Sora looked at him for a moment; realizing that protesting would get him nowhere, he offered a simple nod in reply.

"Cid, you stay here." Cloud continued, looking over to the ship's Captain. "No reason for you to get dragged into this."

"No argument here…" Cid replied, standing up and stretching his lower back with a groan. "Give me a holler if you need me to kick some ass."

With the pressing of a few buttons, the locking clamps on the ramp released, causing it to lower with a slow and mechanical hum. A single guard, the very same that had approached King Mickey just moments prior to their arrival, stepped forward as the ramp lowered fully, the rest of his squad waiting behind him patiently. Sora made his way purposefully down the ramp, with Cloud and Cid walking just behind him. The solitary guard raised his hand as they approached, beckoning for them to stop.

"King Mickey requires your immediate presence, Keybearer," the lead guard addressed. "Please, come with me. Your companions may stay here; I will leave a few of my men to guard your ship."

"Afraid we might run away?" Cid asked gruffly, clearly annoyed with the military presence before them.

Cloud placed a hand upon Cid's shoulder, getting his attention and flashing him a look that immediately made the tough-as-nails pilot silence himself.

"I will accompany Sora to meet with the King." Cloud spoke up, stepping forward to stand next to Sora.

"I assure you, Mr. Strife," the guard quickly protested. "That will not be necessary."

"I wasn't asking." Cloud retorted flatly, narrowing his eyes a bit.

Clearly, the guard standing before him wasn't in any position to argue with the seasoned warrior. Offering a simple nod, he beckoned for them to follow as he turned and began walking towards a single door at the end of the bay. Sora and Cloud exchanged glances before following after him, a couple of guards turning around and walking behind them as they passed, leaving another couple of guards to watch over Cid and _The Bahamut_. Cid stared at them coldly, lighting a cigarette (much to the chagrin of his chaperones) and placing a hand on each hip.

"Well, don't just stand there, boys…" He addressed them with a somewhat mocking tone. "Fill 'er up. Oh, and wash the windows while you're at it!"

…..

The huge double doors swung open with a creaking of wood, echoing through the hollow throne room. The lead guard stepped in; King Mickey gestured to him, rising from his throne and stepping down as the guard beckoned for Sora and Cloud to enter. Shortly after the two of them stepped in and began their march down the rolled-out carpet, King Mickey gestured for the their escorts to leave. Sora and Cloud stopped, standing before the King as the double doors slammed shut behind them. King Mickey stood there silently for a moment, all the while making Sora and Cloud feel like two kids who just got called into the Principal's office.

"I take it you were successful in defeating Sephiroth?" King Mickey finally asked.

"Yes," Sora answered, respectfully yet with his voice having a tinge of attitude to it. "That is why we're here."

"Indeed…" King Mickey replied. "And did you kill him?"

"I don't think that's entirely a fair question." Cloud said defensively, causing Sora to hold his hand out to stop him.

"Yes, I did." Sora answered simply.

King Mickey's brow furrowed for a moment as he looked up to the ceiling with a disappointed-sounding sigh.

"Do you feel _better_ now?" The King asked pointedly.

"I don't feel one way about it or the other." Sora answered. "Riku is avenged, and both he and the galaxy are at peace. Good has triumphed over evil once again. I figured you'd be _happy_ about that."

"Happy about you spilling blood in anger?" King Mickey scoffed. "That is _not_ how I wanted this to end. I wanted _justice_ brought to the galaxy…"

"Justice?" Sora spat at him. "What the _hell_ do you know about justice? I actually _spared_ Sephiroth's life! It wasn't until he tried to kill Cloud that I retaliated! Sephiroth's death was an act of _defense_, not rage!"

King Mickey's eyes widened a bit at Sora's retort. He tried to speak, but his words became caught; clearing his throat, he turned his gaze towards Cloud.

"Is this true, Cloud?" King Mickey asked, his voice somewhat calmer now.

"It is." Cloud answered flatly. "Not as black and white as you thought, is it Your Majesty?"

King Mickey glanced to both of them and nodded.

"And what of Exsul?" King Mickey inquired. "Another casualty of war, I suppose?"

"Janus." Sora and Cloud both corrected in unison.

"He chose to remain behind with his sister. Her soul was released once Sephiroth was destroyed." Sora explained further.

"I see." King Mickey said, turning back around and facing his throne.

For a moment or two, he remained silent, his head dipped slightly.

"If I may ask, why did you have us escorted here?" Sora asked pointedly, breaking the silence. "I don't appreciate being treated like a criminal."

King Mickey looked up, keeping his back turned to them.

"Cloud, would you mind excusing us?" The King asked.

"Yes, I would." Cloud answered directly. "Sora and I are a team. Anything you have to say to him, you can say to me as well."

"Very well." King Mickey replied, turning around to face them, looking back over his shoulder and calling out behind him. "Enter."

A door not far from the throne opened with a click and a creaking of heavy wood, a familiar figure clad in black leather stepping through the threshold and standing to King Mickey's side.

"Leon?" Sora called in a rush of confusion. "What are you doing here?"

"I asked Leon here for one very specific purpose." King Mickey explained. "I will admit, Sora, I did not expect you to be able to defeat Sephiroth, even with the aid of your companions. I summoned Leon to act as a back-up, in case you were incapacitated in battle…or worse. However, given the fact that you are standing here, alive and well, there was also a second purpose to me bringing him here."

"Which is…?" Cloud asked, exchanging a momentary icy glance with Leon.

"Sora left this palace fueled by rage and the desire for vengeance, knowingly and willingly disobeying my direct orders," King Mickey began explaining. "And the fact that he spilled blood with his Keyblade, no matter the circumstances, has forced my hand in this decision."

Leon stepped forward.

"Leon will take your place as the Keybearer going forward." King Mickey finished simply.

"You have got to be _kidding_!" Cloud exclaimed, taking a step forward and immediately being stopped by Sora's outstretched hand.

"Admittedly, I thought you would jump at the chance to be rid of the responsibility of being the Keybearer, Sora." King Mickey interjected. "Enough of your young life has been spent wielding the Keyblade, and I am sympathetic to what you have both lost and missed out on as a result…as Leon was kind enough to open my eyes to."

Sora quirked a brow, glancing to Leon momentarily, who offered him a confirming nod; Sora hadn't known Leon for long, but from what he did know about him, he hardly ever would have thought of him as the sympathetic type.

"You and I both know," Sora started, addressing King Mickey and Leon both rather than one or the other in particular. "The Keyblade chose _me_, not the other way around…and it's not something that can just be _taken_…or did you forget?"

"No, I have not forgotten." King Mickey retorted. "However, _your_ Keyblade is representative of this Kingdom, and as King if I feel that this Kingdom would be better served with someone else serving as the Keybearer…I reserve the right to challenge its selection."

Sora and Cloud exchanged glances; this was exactly what they expected in coming here, and for that matter, something they had hoped to avoid.

"A challenge…" Leon spoke up, taking another few steps forward. "That I have accepted at the King's request."

Sora stepped towards Leon in response.

"Leon," Sora addressed him simply and respectfully. "I don't want to fight you. I'm _done_ fighting; and I'm certainly in no mood to fight someone I consider a friend. I would think that you could respect that."

"The responsibilities of the Keyblade are above your desires, Sora." Leon explained coldly.

"So I'm supposed to sacrifice everything I hold dear just to be at the beckon call of the King?" Sora retorted. "I think not. I've made more than enough sacrifices in my time…I'm through with this. I will use the Keyblade to protect those I care for, and I will do what I must, when I must. You and the King lost your faith in me because I went after the man that attacked my home and killed my best friend; what you seem to forget is that it was your home, too. I have a hard time believing that this has to do with your loyalty to King Mickey; I think you're _more_ upset that he didn't ask you to go with me. But rather than using it as an opportunity to rise above all of your own petty bullshit and be a man for once, you decided to let your jealousy get the better of you. You want to play hero, go ahead…I'm not stopping you…but I'm _not_ giving up the Keyblade."

"I see…" Leon replied. "Then you leave me no choice."

With that, Leon charged towards Sora, drawing his Gunblade fluidly and bringing it over his head in a double-handed grip. There was a sharp click as the trigger pulled, igniting the blade in an aura of blue light as it came crashing down. Immediately, Sora snapped his hand to the side, summoning the Keyblade to his hand in an instant; he brought his weapon up, leveling it horizontally and handily catching Leon's slash. As the blades collided, there was a thunderous crash that echoed throughout the throne room, bouncing and reverberating off of the high vaulted ceiling. The resulting impact seemed to take its toll on Leon as he grimaced painfully, nearly causing his shoulders to dislocate; it seemed effortless for Sora, however. Out of the corner of his eye, Sora spotted Cloud placing his hand on the handle of his Buster Sword.

"Stay out of this…" Sora cautioned, cutting a sideways glance to him for a moment.

Cloud relaxed his grip, placing his hand back down at his side as Leon attempted to push forward with his sword. Sora relaxed back on his parry, gaining enough leverage to push back, knocking Leon back a few steps.

"I'm not doing this with you!" Sora exclaimed, his voice full of a confidence that surprised the battle-hardened warrior. "Enough!"

Leon paid the Keybearer's cautions little heed, darting towards him with a flurry of slashes that Sora easily parried, matching him blow for blow. Leon again locked swords with Sora, trying to overtake him and prove his superiority.

"You can't beat me, Sora," Leon explained with icy poise. "I've been training every day since you left."

"So have I," Sora retorted, not letting up for a second. "And you seem to forget…you never were able to defeat me!"

Sora again pushed back on his Keyblade, knocking Leon backwards. Spinning around, Sora struck out with his blade, cleanly hitting the flat of Leon's Gunblade and knocking it from his hands entirely. Leon's eyes went wide as he realized Sora's next move all too late; Sora's palm struck out, catching Leon up underneath his still-tender ribcage and causing him to drop to his knees as a sharp pain crushed the air from his lungs. For a moment, Leon sat doubled over, his hand pressed firmly to his ribs as if trying to hold them in place. King Mickey's eyes were like twin saucers as he looked upon the scene before him; the attack may have seemed a bit unforgiving for the Keybearer, however the way he took down Leon with the surgical precision necessary to disable him without causing permanent injury finally made him see Sora in an entirely different light as a skilled warrior (although he would probably never admit it). Sora spirited his Keyblade away, leaning down and helping Leon steadily to his feet, making sure he could stand on his own power before stepping back. After taking a few sharp, pained breaths he seemed to be able to stand without much trouble.

"You've grown a lot stronger…" Leon admitted through gritted teeth, the compliment seeming a bit forced.

"And you still haven't healed…" Sora retorted. "You really should have Donald take a look at that."

Leon chuckled lightly, immediately wincing in pain as he did so.

Sora turned his attention towards King Mickey, stepping towards his throne and producing his Keyblade once more, pointing it towards the King's wide-eyed gaze, although non-threateningly.

"The decision has been made." Sora said flatly. "I will keep this Keyblade. It is my curse…my responsibility…my burden to bear; however, my blade is no longer yours to command."

King Mickey was at a loss for words, his stoically unsympathetic poise shattering with Sora's words.

"Leon, as soon as he's fully healed, can take my place as your kingdom's champion if he _chooses_ to." Sora continued.

King Mickey cleared his throat, attempting to regain his kingly posture as much as possible.

"I see…you've made your decision." King Mickey replied, glancing momentarily to the tip of Sora's Keyblade, and then to Cloud who watched the scene with equal amazement. "And what do you say?"

"Sora and I are a team…" Cloud answered cooly, leaning back into a cocky pose and crossing his arms. "We may have lost Janus, but if this experience has taught me anything, it's that friendship comes before duty…a fact that _you_ seem to have forgotten, Majesty."

With that, Cloud turned his back to King Mickey, starting the long walk down the burgundy carpet to the large double doors of the throne room; Sora, however, stood unwavering.

"One last thing…" Sora added. "If you ever doubt me again and wish to challenge my wielding of the Keyblade, it had better be _your_ sword that crosses mine."

Sora turned, sheathing away his Keyblade and leaving the King staring in amazement. As he strode away, he stopped before Leon, offering his hand to him as Leon immediately returned the gesture.

"Are you sure about this?" Leon asked calmly.

Sora nodded simply in response.

"Would you…do me a favor?" Leon asked somewhat reluctantly, a surprising tone to his voice.

"Of course." Sora replied.

"Tell everyone…I'm sorry…I'm sorry for just up and leaving without saying anything." Leon answered, lowering his eyes a bit. "As much as it may not make sense, I needed this…I needed to get away from everything…from my failure. I wasn't strong enough to be chosen as the Keybearer from the start…I see that now…I tried to be the hero, to save the day…in the end, I just didn't have it in me."

"The only person you failed was yourself, Leon," Sora replied in a gentle tone. "You are better than this…"

"I know…" Leon replied somewhat sadly.

"Find your way…your purpose…" Sora urged. "You have lost much, we all have…but you have to keep going, no matter how dark the future looks. I used to think that fighting was the only thing I was good at, but at least I've always fought for what I believed in. Find something to believe in, and hold on to it. Once you've done that, no one can take it away from you."

"I will, Sora…" Leon said with a nod, meeting his gaze. "Thank you."

"Farewell, my friend." Sora said before continuing down the path to the throne room doors, joining Cloud before disappearing behind them.

King Mickey stepped down from his perch, walking over to join Leon, and keeping his eyes fixed upon the closed double doors for a moment before bowing his head.

"Sora…" Mickey uttered quietly. "I'm sorry."

…..

"Sir, with all due respect and for the last time, _please_ put that out!" One of the guards urged.

Cid Highwind, the self-appointed "captain" of _The Bahamut_, took another long drag of his cigarette, extending his middle finger at the pleading guard as he pulled it from his lips and blew a thick puff of smoke in his face.

"And I'll tell _you_ for the last time, pretty boy…" Cid growled. "Shut the f…"

Cid cut himself off, standing from his seat on the ship's ramp as the doors to the docking bay slid open and Sora and Cloud walked through unescorted.

"Hey!" Cid called out to them, waving an arm high in the air a few times. "Can we get out of here now or what?"

Sora nodded once, prompting Cid to flick his cigarette at his disapproving chaperone before turning to go up the ramp. Cloud clapped him on the shoulder as he walked past, leaving Sora on the ramp's edge just behind Cid. As Sora turned to look out over the docking area one final time, Cid pressed a few buttons, causing the ramp to lift and lock in place, closing them inside. They each made their way to the cockpit, settling in to their respective seats as Cid began busily flipping switches and pressing buttons, making the control panel light up like a Christmas tree.

"To be honest," Cid called out, never looking away from his work. "I thought the two of you would have been drawn and quartered. I'm surprised he let you go."

"Surprised?" Cloud asked sarcastically. "Or _relieved_?"

"Don't flatter yourself, bright eyes!" Cid spat back at him dryly. "I just didn't feel like havin' to break your asses out of jail! Besides, I left my spear at home…"

"It's OK, Cid…" Sora replied with a bit of a chuckle. "I just pointed my Keyblade at him and he let us go."

Cid suddenly spun around in his chair.

"You threatened the King?" He exclaimed before burying his face in his hands. "Aw, shit…"

Cloud and Sora both shared a laugh at the captain's expense, causing him to slowly look up at them before his face turned several shades of red, spinning back around in his chair and grumbling something under his breath. After a few minutes more of preparation, the engines came to life and the docing bay door before them slid open mechanically.

"So, where to now?" Cid asked, peering over his shoulder at them.

Sora leaned back in his chair, taking in a deep breath and closing his eyes, tilting his head back.

"Home." He answered simply.

…..

**Until next time…**


	23. The Light Still Burns

**A/N: *DISCLAIMER* - THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS ADULT SITUATIONS OF A SEXUAL NATURE. IF YOU ARE A MINOR OR SENSITIVE TO THESE TYPES OF WRITING, PLEASE MOVE ON.**

…..

The air aboard the Gummi Ship was still and silent; they had finally been allowed to leave King Mickey's castle and were well on their way back to Destiny Islands. Everything seemed to be at peace, which was a welcome change of pace to be sure, but even so Sora hadn't uttered a single word since takeoff. His companions half expected him to be bouncing off the walls in anticipation; instead he seemed to be lost in some sort of meditative thought, possibly a result of the calming techniques that Janus had taught him during their month-long training. Standing with an arm propped up against the wall in the common room and staring out the porthole into the black of space as trails of glowing white stars blurred past, Sora seemed to be calm, yet somewhat troubled all at the same time. The cockpit door slid open and Cloud stepped out into the common area, watching Sora for a moment before stepping over to his side, looking out the porthole window as well. Cloud stood quietly for a moment, and then opened his mouth slightly to speak; however, it was the Keybearer that would break the silence between them.

"Do you think I did the right thing?" Sora asked simply.

"I think I would have done the same thing in your position," Cloud answered with a deep breath. "I know that you had a great deal of respect for King Mickey, however, I think he was blind to your suffering. What's important is that _you_ feel satisfied with the way things are."

Sora shook his head.

"No," he protested. "I mean with Leon..."

"Ah..." Cloud realized, looking silently out the porthole.

"I wouldn't wish the life I've had on anyone, Cloud," Sora admitted. "Being the Keybearer has taken its toll on everything I hold dear. Leon deserves a life outside of fighting just as much as I do."

"Leon _chose_ his path by staying at the castle, Sora," Cloud continued. "Just as you have by walking away."

"I know..." Sora breathed, sliding his brilliant blue eyes shut for a moment. "I have to accept that."

The steady hum of the pulsing engines slowed to something soft and barely distinguishable, the streaking stars outside the porthole fading into brights dots that steadily floated by. The two of them were interrupted by the opening of the cockpit door and the sound of Cid roughly clearing his throat.

"We're here." Cid announced simply, leaning with his back against the doorway. "Should be ready to dock in a few minutes."

Sora nodded, stepping from the window and striding over to the middle of the common area as Cloud and Cid soon joined him.

"You're coming too, right?" Sora asked, glancing to Cloud and Cid.

Cloud walked up to the Keybearer, placing a hand upon his shoulder and offering a warm smile, his Mako-blue eyes shining for the briefest of moments.

"No, Sora," he answered smoothly. "Cid and I have to be getting back. Aerith is probably worried sick about me as it is; she didn't exactly like the idea of Cid and I going off to face Sephiroth."

"Besides, kid," Cid spoke up, stepping over to Sora's side opposite of Cloud. "This is _your_ homecoming. We'll be back around here soon, I'm sure of it. Until then, keep your head up. This is your moment...you earned this more than anyone. Cloud and I have had our chance to bask in the glory of being heroes. I think it's high time you did the same."

Cid's words had a sort of fatherly kindness to them that caught Sora off guard; all he could do was smile that bright-white signature grin of his as he shook Cid's hand firmly.

"Thanks, Cid." Sora said gratefully before turning his attention to Cloud.

"Your light is waiting for you," Cloud added. "Go to her."

"I will..." Sora said with a nod, turning to shake Cloud's hand firmly as well. "And...Cloud..."

"Yes, Sora?" The former mercenary asked.

"Thank you...for everything." Sora answered, his voice full of pride. "You and Janus did more for me than you will ever know...and I don't mean just the training. You two opened my eyes to so much...things that I never thought I was capable of."

Cloud shook his head slightly.

"No, Sora..." Cloud started. "You had it within you from the start."

Sora nodded, each of them lowering their hands.

"If there is ever anything you need," Sora added. "You know where to find me."

Cloud nodded, offering Sora a smile of his own.

_The Bahamut_ began to approach Sora's home of Destiny Islands, coming into a orbit around the planet before slowing to a steady crawl. A nearby monitor beeped a few times, causing Cid to walk over to it steadily. Tapping a few buttons on the display, an image of the surface popped up on the screen.

"Looks like your friends are all on the beach..." Cid called over his shoulder before letting out a boisterous chuckle. "Ha! That scrawny blonde kid just got a volleyball spiked right into his face!"

Sora and Cloud both snickered as they stepped over to the monitor to get a better look. Just as Cid had said, it seemed that all of Sora's friends were in the same general area on the beach that the usually hung out at. Sora scanned the group, immediately recognizing each one of them as he moved from person to person. His heart momentarily sank as he realized that Kairi was nowhere to be found until the image zoomed out enough for him to see both her and Selphie just a little ways down the beach from the rest of the group, walking along the shoreline. As soon as Sora spotted her, his heart began to race for a moment before Cid's voice snapped him from his daze.

"Want us to set you down on the beach, Sora?" Cid asked in his gruff voice, lighting up a cigarette.

Sora stared at the screen for a moment longer before shaking his head.

"Set me down over here." Sora answered, pointing to a spot on the beach that was behind a short hill, just far enough away from the rest of the group without being too far away. "I want it to be a surprise."

"Sure thing, kid." Cid replied, tapping the designated spot on the screen and directing the ship's navigation computer to land in the specified location.

"Oh, and one last thing..." Sora spoke up.

"Name it." Cid replied, whirling his head around to face Sora.

Sora reached up, plucking the cigarette from Cid's mouth and dropping it to the floor where he immediately ground it under the tip of his boot.

"Switch back to toothpicks." Sora said with a smirk.

Cid's face flushed with red for a moment, causing Cloud to snicker behind Sora's back. The crimson tint faded from Cid's face as he smiled, laughing hoarsely and slapping his hand playfully upon Sora's shoulder. As the three of them shared their last laugh before their separation, they walked towards the ship's exit ramp as _The Bahamut_ began its descent to the planet below. Sora reached back, lifting the hood of his outfit gently over his head as they all said their final farewells.

…..

"YEOWCH!" Tidus yelled out as the volleyball struck him directly in his face with an unforgiving slap that sent him falling backwards and landed hard in the sand, kicking up a plume of dust as he did so.

Tidus' hulking friend Wakka, who was rarely not at his side, rushed over to him and plucked him from the indentation of his scrawny frame, dusting the sand from his low-slung board shorts as he did so. Tidus' bare back was caked with white powder clinging to the sheen of sweat upon his bare back.

"You gotta be more careful, ya?" Wakka pointed out with his thick island accent.

"What the hell..." Tidus managed to groan out, feeling a bit wobbly as Wakka stood him upright.

A boisterous laugh came from the other side of the net.

"You should really learn to duck!" Yuffie exclaimed, razzing him playfully. "Let's see...that would be _my_ point, right?"

Yuffie brushed a few strands of her raven-black hair behind her ear, readjusting the emerald headband tied around her forehead and tightening the long tails trailing down her back. Her matching tank-top fit her lean form perfectly, ending just above her exposed navel, and ending with a pair of low-slung khaki shorts with the top few buttons undone, held together with criss-crossing brown leather belts. She stood tall and triumphant, placing her hands upon her bony hips.

"Real funny, Yuffie!" Tidus retorted. "See if we ever ask _you_ to play again!"

"Man..." Wakka said as he rubbed the back of his head with one hand and hiking up the back of his trunks with the other. "She's got a cannon for an arm, ya? Musta been all those ninja stars she's thrown..."

"You are _not_ helping!" Tidus said, shooting Wakka an icy look before rubbing the bridge of his nose with a wince, causing both Wakka and Yuffie laugh. Before long, Tidus joined in, seeing the humor in the situation.

There was suddenly a steady breeze that blew across the sand, making each of them cover their eyes; just as suddenly, it dissipated. The three of them had a confused look in their eyes as they each glanced about.

A distant flash followed immediately thereafter, but no one seemed to pay it any mind.

…..

A little ways down the beach, Selphie stood just out from the shoreline, ankle-deep in the gently-lapping tide, bent over at the waist and running her fingers delicately through the damp sand as her feet sank deeper into the cool wetness of it. Pinching her fingers together carefully, she plucked up a sand dollar about the size of a coaster. Rinsing it off in the shallow surf and taking extra care not to snap the fragile find in two, she placed it flat against the palm of her hand, reaching it out in front of her. Kairi stood just in front of her, staying just far enough back to not get her feet wet save for the occasional spray from the ocean. She reached a slender hand out, gently grasping it from Selphie's palm and leaning her head down to get a better look, inspecting every inch of it.

"Your hair looks really pretty, if I didn't say so already." Selphie admitted to her, causing Kairi to look up for a moment and flash her a smile of appreciation.

Kairi's hair had taken on the appearance it had several years ago, cropped just below her jawline and showing off her long and slender milk-white neck. She wore a rose pink bikini top accented by a long-flowing piece of thin fabric crossed around her waist and hugging her slender form beautifully, ending about mid-calf, bearing a brocade-style pattern in a complimenting color. Her more conservative look was a bit of a contrast to Selphie's usual lemon-yellow sundress, something Kairi would probably never admit that she wouldn't be caught dead wearing, but it seemed to suit Selphie's effervescent personality. The two of them stood upright, feeling only a slight aftershock of the blasting wind that their comrades further up the beach had felt.

"What was that?" Selphie asked with a puzzled look.

Kairi opened her mouth to answer, being silenced by the distant subtle flash in the sky that no one else seemed to notice.

"Sora...?" Kairi breathed out barely above a whisper, causing Selphie's eyes to widen a bit before she began silently scanning the area for a glimpse of their absent friend.

…..

Yuffie, Tidus, and Wakka all stood still, unsure of what to make of the sudden gust of wind on this day where the wind was steady and calm. Yuffie's warrior instinct kicked in, turning around and scanning the area through narrowed eyes.

"What is it, Yuffie?" Tidus asked almost nervously, keeping his voice audible yet quiet for fear of breaking her concentration.

Yuffie put a hand out behind her to silence him, only slightly raised from her side as she continued scanning forward, keeping her head on a swivel until suddenly going still.

"There..." she breathed almost inaudibly. "Just over the hill..."

Tidus and Wakka scanned ahead in her area of focus until they too saw what had drawn her attention: just over the ridge of the beach ahead of them they spotted something black in the distance, slowly becoming larger and cresting over the hill. Eventually the spot of black developed into something dome-shaped until the head of a figure in the distance hooded in black came into view. Slowly the figure of someone in dark clothing appeared over the mound, coming to a stop as the figure stood atop. The lean muscle of the figure's bare arms and legs could be seen, porcelain skin appearing through voids of black; all the while, the figure's face was completely shadowed by it's hood, as if its head were bowed ever-so-slightly. The figure stood still for a moment, as if surveying its surroundings.

"Who...?" Wakka uttered under his breath, trying just as Yuffie and Tidus were to make out the figure's face.

"One of Sephiroth's cronies?" Tidus asked, still keeping his voice still and quiet.

"I don't think so..." Yuffie replied, her voice echoing Tidus' still quietness. "I feel something almost...familiar..."

The three of them stood on edge as the figure's gaze lifted just enough, blue orbs reflecting the sunlight like prisms for the slightest of seconds while its face remained veiled in the shadow of its hood. Slowly, the figure's hands lifted, hooking up underneath the edge of the hood and peeling it back steadily.

"I don't believe it..." Yuffie said breathlessly.

The figure pulled the hood back completely, revealing gravity-defying spikes of chocolate-brown hair. He flashed a winning signature smile, shining bright-white against the afternoon sun as he waved an arm in the air and began striding steadily towards them. Yuffie's mouth gaped open, the words catching in her throat in disbelief as she tried to speak, her words coming out in what sounded like a barely audible squeak. Tidus and Wakka exchanged a wordless glance, each of their expressions fading from apprehension to excitement.

"SORA!" Tidus and Wakka each exclaimed simultaneously before charging down the beach towards him, nearly tripping over their own bare feet as they slid in the fine sand beneath them.

Wakka reached Sora first, wrapping him in a bear-hug and lifting him up off of his feet for a moment before setting him back down with a hearty laugh. Tidus soon followed as he and Sora grabbed each others hands, pulling each other in for a hug, offering his own relieved laugh.

"Good to see you, man!" Tidus exclaimed as they each stepped back.

"Good to see you guys, too," Sora replied as the three of them began to walk down the beach back to where they came from. "It's good to be home."

"This time for good hopefully, ya?" Wakka asked, clapping Sora upon the shoulder.

"Guarantee it, Wakka," Sora answered. "I don't think King Mickey will be calling on me anytime soon."

"Ha, no kidding!" Tidus said with a laugh. "Leon told us about what you said to him! Good for you!"

As they strode down the beach, Sora stepped ahead of them as he saw Yuffie walking towards him, her doe eyes sparkling in the sun with welled-up tears as she collapsed into his waiting arms, trying her hardest not to start sobbing (although Sora wouldn't have thought any less of her if she did).

"I'm so glad to see you made it back safely..." She managed to get out after a few moments of holding onto him for dear life, leaning her head back to look into his deep pools of blue, her cracking voice starting to compose itself. "What happened to Sephiroth?"

Sora hung his head somewhat sadly for a moment before lifting his gaze back to her's.

"I defeated him...offered him a chance to live..." Sora began. "When he tried to kill Cloud, I had to do something...I just...reacted. I didn't want to kill him, Yuffie; at first, it was all I could think about...but...he gave me no choice..."

Yuffie just nodded, giving Sora another tight hug.

"You're a better person than me, Sora..." she whispered into his ear, placing a soft kiss upon his cheek. "I don't think I could have done what you did."

Sora stepped back a bit, holding onto her bare shoulders and looking deep into her eyes and smiled warmly.

"Thanks, Yuffie." Sora replied.

She returned his warm smile with one of her own, then peeked around his shoulder for a moment, her gaze fading from one of happiness to one of worry. She looked into Sora's eyes with that look in her eyes and opened her mouth to speak. The words weren't necessary; Sora knew what she was about to ask, taking a deep breath and shaking his head a few times regretfully.

"Leon chose to stay behind..." was his only reply.

Yuffie nodded sadly, casting her gaze downward as Sora placed a warm hand gently upon her cheek, causing her to take a deep breath before looking back into his eyes.

"He made his own choice..." Sora continued. "We may not like it...hell, we may _hate_ it...but we have to respect it."

"Sora, there's something I need to tell you..." Yuffie said somewhat nervously. "I told Kairi about...everything. About how you feel about her..."

Sora's heart jumped up into his throat, his whole body tingling as if set on fire from the inside as his eyes widened for a moment with a sense of apprehension.

"I'm sorry, Sora...it just...came out one day after you left..." Yuffie admitted.

Sora took a deep breath, trying to calm away the burning sensation under his skin, and offering her his patented smile.

"Don't worry about it, Yuffie." Sora replied simply and sincerely. "I'm sure you had good reason. It's fine."

She hoped with everything that it was; for all of Sora's shining qualities, expressing his feelings towards Kairi was always his one crippling fault, let alone approaching her with her knowing how he felt.

"OH MY GOD!" Selphie's shrieking valley-girlish voice called from behind Yuffie's back. "Kairi, come quick! It's Sora!"

Yuffie rolled her eyes.

"See what I've had to deal with while you've been gone?" She asked quietly with a smirk as Sora laughed, giving her shoulders a light squeeze as he stepped around her.

Selphie bounced over to Sora, wrapping her skinny arms around his neck and hugging him tightly before letting go. She was asking Sora a thousand questions a minute, babbling on so quickly that Sora could scarcely keep track of what she was even saying. Of course, Sora's attention was focused elsewhere at the moment; standing where Selphie had just appeared from down the beach, Sora saw the face he had been waiting to see this entire time. Her cranberry-red hair danced about in the calm breeze of the afternoon, which also made her makeshift dress flow around her beautifully. Her eyes were just as wide as his, piercing profoundly into those endless pools of blue as the wind shifted just enough , wafting just enough of that smell of hers towards him to make his heart race. Behind him, Wakka elbowed Tidus playfully as they each exchanged a wordless glance, smiling to each other with an implied "this is it". Kairi steadily began walking towards him, her eyes sparkling as she fought back the welled-up tears. Sora followed suit, stepping towards her calmly and at the same time wanting to run to her and sweep her up into his embrace like the climactic moment in one of those romantic comedy movies that he secretly despised. They came within arms distance of each other, the both of them looking into each others eyes deeply and waiting for what would come next. Sora saw nothing of the blind anger in her eyes that he had seen before, only an amalgam of emotion threatening to spill over at any moment; Kairi looked into his twin cerulean marbles as they ignited with a warm-glowing intensity that seemed to only burn when he looked upon her face, seeing that young boy from so long ago buried deep inside. Without saying a word to each other, the two of them fell into each others awaiting embrace, wrapping their arms around each other in such a way that seemed like they were trying to absorb one another in to their respective bodies, each one closing their eyes slowly and blissfully. The gentle heat of Kairi's milky skin seeped down into Sora's very core, the mixed scent of lavender and vanilla pouring into his senses and turning his blood into molten lava. This, he decided, is what home was; not the lapping waves of the surf nor the smell of salt in the air nor the warm sun upon his shoulders...it was her.

It had always been her.

The world around them fell silent as if patiently waiting to see what would happen next, the gathered friends looking upon the scene that was far too long in the making. Sora and Kairi remained entwined, each one breathing steadily in the others arms. It wasn't until Sora felt the warm moisture upon his shoulder that his eyes peeled open, looking down at her as Kairi began to sob quietly.

"I'm so sorry, Sora..." she breathed barely above a whisper. "I'm so sorry for everything I said...everything I did...you never deserved that. I was so scared...that I would never get the chance to see you again, to apologize...I was afraid that..."

Sora softly stroked the back of her hair, making a hushing noise gently against the shell of her ear.

"It's over, Kai..." Sora assured her, his voice smooth and velvety, wrapping around her like a warm blanket. "I'm home now...I'm finally home...that's all that matters."

…..

There was no question in anyone's mind that a celebration was in order for Sora's return, and what better setting than his own out-of-the-way private beach. Wakka was busy at work on a small grill, placing freshly-prepared island burgers upon its burning surface as Kairi, Yuffie, and Selphie busied themselves in the kitchen, preparing fresh fruit and chopping vegetables for a plentiful salad. Sora had found an open area out behind his house and started gathering driftwood for a bonfire, surprising Tidus as he carried large bundles of it up on his shoulder with a single arm wrapped around as Tidus only managed to carry a fraction of that amount with both arms. Sora handily set his pile down, beginning to arrange them to make a proper fire as Tidus approached, dropping his pile ungracefully in the sand and wiping droplets of sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.

"Damn, Sora..." Tidus huffed. "You been takin' steroids?"

Sora chuckled, helping him to gather up the rest of the driftwood and collect it together.

"Maybe you should hit the gym with Wakka once in a while." Sora said, arranging the last few pieces and standing to his feet. "Hey, I'm gonna head inside and change quick. Want me to grab you a water on the way back?"

Tidus nodded waving to Sora as he walked away, looking all around once he disappeared into the sliding door of the back porch to make sure no one was watching before dropping down into a push-up position and knocking out repetitions.

Inside, Sora ducked inside his room, sliding open a few drawers in his dresser and pulling out a pair of board shorts and a plain white t-shirt. Closing the door quietly, he quickly changed out of his battle attire and tossed it into a nearby hamper as he put his clean clothes on. Reaching for the doorknob as he was about to leave, he caught something out of the corner of his eye; his bed had been neatly made (which was odd enough), and a pink duffel bag lay upon the floor with several changes of clothes inside, making Sora's brow quirk as he opened the door and walked steadily into the kitchen area. As he entered through the threshold of the kitchen, he saw Kairi working busily at the sink, rinsing off various forms of produce as Yuffie stood at the center island, chopping away delicately at a large carrot as Selphie walked back and forth from the island to a nearby counter, scooping the chopped vegetables off into a large bowl. The three of them barely noticed as Sora strode over to the fridge, grabbing three bottles of water from a drawer on the bottom and closing the door quietly so as not to disturb them. As he walked out, Yuffie glanced up for a moment, watching him exit the room. He looked back and beckoned for her to follow him with a tilt of his head.

"I'll be right back, you two..." Yuffie said quietly before following after Sora, not really waiting for a reply as she followed him out onto the back porch.

"Is something wrong?" Sora asked with a concerned tone, sliding the patio door behind him.

Yuffie blinked slowly a few times, trying to figure out what Sora was talking about.

"With Kairi?" Sora continued. "I found some of her things in my room..."

"Oh, that..." Yuffie began, taking a deep breath. "When Sephiroth attacked, she lost nearly everything in the fire. Ever since I talked with her the day you left...she's been spending a lot of time here. At first I thought it was just because she needed some time alone, but as time went on...I think she just wanted to be here to feel closer to you..."

"Closer...to me?" Sora asked, a tone of shock replacing his concern. "You mean...she..."

"I don't know for sure if she feels the same way you do, Sora," Yuffie answered, keeping her voice quiet and the conversation to themselves. "But it's plain to see that she cares deeply for you."

Sora lowered his gaze a bit; he wasn't sure how to handle this. In battle, everything was simple; kill or be killed. When it came to his love for Kairi, his desire to be with her and show her how he had felt all these years, that wasn't so easy.

"Look..." Yuffie said as she stepped towards him, placing a hand gently upon his cheek and lifting his gaze to meet her's. "Just have a good time tonight. This is all for you, OK? Once everyone leaves, you and Kairi can have your chance to be alone...to get everything sorted out."

Sora nodded, the two of them exchanging smiles before Yuffie stepped back inside and made her way back to the kitchen. As Sora walked over to Wakka and Tidus, tossing each of them one of the cool bottles of water in his hand, Kairi turned her attention to the returning Yuffie, who smiled brightly to her and gave her a discreet nod. Kairi smiled warmly, feeling heat in her cheeks as she turned her attention back to her duties.

…..

The evening fell upon them still and quiet, a cool breeze soothing them from the warmth of the day. The feast had been enjoyable, each person outdoing themselves with their respective contributions. The gathered friends all sat around a roaring bonfire as Sora told them all there was to tell from his travels; the confrontation with King Mickey, the grueling training process, the seemingly endless wave of enemies being thrown at them upon their arrival, the epic battle with Sephiroth, Janus' reunion with the sister he had so long sought for and his transition into the light, and finally Sora's passing of the torch as the kingdom's champion and his subsequent promise to the King (which he easily admitted that had little regret about). The whole thing seemed incredible to all of them; Sora had told them his "war stories" before, but this was so different from before. There was something almost unfathomable about all of it, and even Yuffie who had dealt with the path to fighting Sephiroth once before found it all difficult to take in. There was something in Sora's voice, something so mature that they hadn't felt before. He left a scared boy full of rage, and had returned a man, hardened by battle. If it weren't for those shining ocean-blue eyes and that beaming smile, one would think that Sora had become lost in all of it.

Sora's friends had begun preparing to say their farewells for the evening, helping Sora clean up and put everything back in order so that he wouldn't be obligated to. One by one, they began to disperse, each promising Sora to spend some more time with him in the days to come. It had come down to Sora, Yuffie, and Kairi standing upon the Keybearer's private section of beach, putting out the last burning embers from the bonfire. They continued talking for a few moments, and then Yuffie decided it was time for her to take her leave and let the two destined-to-be-together friends have their privacy. She strode over to Sora, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly.

"You're going to meet me for coffee tomorrow, right?" She asked, resting her chin upon his shoulder for a moment.

"Sure thing." Sora said smiling warmly as Yuffie stepped back. "I'll give you a call once I get up and around."

"So...plan on late afternoon?" Yuffie joked, sticking her tongue out at him playfully.

Sora laughed, shaking his head with a smile and waving goodbye to her as she turned and started walking towards the front of the house. Kairi stood there for a moment, seemingly unsure of what to say and then looking over her shoulder towards Yuffie and then back to Sora.

"I can stay with Yuffie tonight..." she said quietly. "I'm sure you want the place to yourself on your first night back."

Sora stepped up to her, shaking his head in protest and placing a warm hand upon her shoulder.

"Don't worry about it, Kai," Sora assured with a voice as smooth as spun silk. "Yuffie told me what happened; it's OK...you can stay here as long as you like."

Kairi blinked a few times, then smiled at him warmly, placing her hand upon his and brushing his skin lightly with the tips of her fingers. The sensation alone sent bolts of electricity through Sora's body, though thanks to the lack of illumination outside, she was unable to see the flushing red in his cheeks.

"Thanks, Sora." Kairi responded sweetly. "I'll go move my stuff into the spare room so you can sleep in your own bed tonight."

Sora opened his mouth to protest, but Kairi had put up a hand to stop him and had already began walking towards the back patio. Sora realized the all-too-obvious words that were about to escape his lips, however, he allowed them to be silenced as he closed his mouth, watching her enter the house. What he wouldn't give to lay beside her, to share everything he had with her, but the words seemed more and more ridiculous the more he repeated them in his head. He wasn't going to push the issue; it was his first night back, after all. He knew that she knew...and for now, that was enough.

They had nothing but time from this day forward.

…..

The house had falling somewhat quiet, save for the twin gentle sounds of flowing water. Each of them had decided to shower before bed, Sora letting Kairi use the larger of the two bathrooms while he used the smaller one just down the hall. He stood underneath the flow of water for what seemed like ages, relishing the warmth of the water as it washed over him and all the while trying to calm his racing heart. They had sat in the living room talking for a while, discussing their day-to-day lives since Sora's departure; even so, neither one of them seemed to be able to address what would have been an obvious elephant in the room to anyone on the outside looking in (indeed, the building tension between them was palpable). Sora turned off the water, taking his time brushing his teeth and getting ready for bed, noticing as he reached for the door that he couldn't hear the water flowing in the bathroom down the hall; he had almost hoped she would still be in the shower and wouldn't hear him walk past. As he opened the door and stepped out, Kairi was doing the same, guiding her gaze to meet his as they simultaneously noticed one another. They stepped towards each other, stopping within about an arms reach.

Kairi looked up at him with her eyes sparkling beautifully...he was certainly a sight to behold. His training with Cloud had transformed his skin-and-bones frame into lean muscle; the black muscle shirt he wore clung to his slightly-damp skin, accentuating every dip and valley of his tissue and ending just below his waist as a pair of pajama pants tied loosely about his waist trailed down his legs and pooled around his bare feet. As she took in the sight before her, she wanted desperately with everything in her to reach out and touch him, to study and memorize every inch of him with her hands; she felt her skin begin to flush as he looked into her eyes, those deep blue orbs boring into her very soul.

She was absolutely beautiful in every way; her cranberry-red towel-dried locks framed about her face in damp strands and accentuated her porcelain skin as it shone against the dim light of the hallway. She was wearing a knee-length t-shirt that fit loosely around her torso; Sora found himself admiring her perfectly-shaped legs as he approached her, easily one of his favorite things about her, save for one other aspect...those beautiful, sparkling eyes. They sucked him in, almost as much as that lavender-vanilla aroma that always accompanied her, and made his heart beat like a jackrabbit. He took in all that she was, picturing himself sweeping her into his arms like one of those cheesy romance novels that he despised and carrying her to his bed to make her his. The thought alone was enough to ignite his skin from underneath. Try as he might, the thought was difficult to push from his thoughts...but he would have to prevail for now.

"Going to bed?" He asked with a smile that made her heart melt.

"Yeah..." Kairi answered softly, returning an equally intoxicating smile. "Um...Sora?"

"What is it Kai?" He asked gently.

"I just wanted to say...thanks...for letting me stay here." Kairi answered as she cast her eyes down a bit. "After everything I said to you before you left..."

Sora took a step towards her, placing his hands upon her shoulders and giving them a gentle squeeze.

"Kairi..." Sora began soothingly before pulling her in and embracing her gently. "It's all in the past...don't worry about it, OK? You're always welcome here, no matter what."

"Thanks, Sora..." Kairi breathed as she blissfully rested her cheek against his chest.

Sora held her there for a moment, relishing every second. Finally, Kairi backed away and gave him a warm smile.

"Goodnight." She said, her voice angelic, before stepping around him and walking towards the door to the spare bedroom.

Sora turned and watched her for a moment before walking towards his room, feeling her eyes upon his back as he stepped through the door.

…..

Sleep didn't come easy for Sora; laying on his back with his fingers laced behind his head, he shifted his gaze out the open window to the glow of the distant full moon, casting its pale white glow across his room. It was good to be home, it was good to be so close to Kairi even if she was in the other room...however, something was on his mind even more so than before; her. He wanted to go to her, but something in him kept him firmly planted in his bed. What it was, he wasn't sure; nerves, maybe. Even more so now than ever before, the very sight of her set his heart ablaze.

_Where am I supposed to go from here?_ He thought to himself.

Sora closed his eyes, hoping for either sleep or answers, which ever came first. The soft padding of footsteps and a gentle knock on his door shook him from his thoughts as he opened his eyes; turning his head slowly to look towards the door, he saw Kairi standing in the doorway with her hands clasped together, loosely clutching a down-feather pillow and leaning forward ever-so-slightly.

"Sora?" She called barely above a whisper. "Are you awake?"

"Yeah, Kai..." Sora replied quietly. "Is something wrong?"

"Um..." Kairi began, lowering her head and rubbing the back of her neck somewhat nervously. "Would you mind if I slept in bed with you tonight?"

The question made Sora's eyes shoot open, glowing with a gentle intensity in the dark.

"What?" Sora asked, unsure if he heard her correctly.

"I...uh..." Kairi began, unsure exactly of what to say, seeming almost ashamed to ask. "I don't...want to be alone."

Sora said nothing, his eyes and actions giving her the answer she needed; scooting over to give her room, he smiled warmly at her, letting her know it was okay. She returned his smile, seeming like a weight had just lifted from her shoulders as she gently padded across the room and climbed in bed next to him. Sora's bed was just big enough for the both of them, but still forced them to be relatively close to one another; as Kairi climbed in bed next to him, she rolled onto her side, facing her back to him. Something washed over the both of them as they lay next to each other, seeming to calm their respective racing minds instantly. Sora's eyes slid closed blissfully as he took in a deep breath; it wasn't long before Kairi's tiny voice called out to him again.

"Could you...hold me?" She whispered.

Sora was all too happy to oblige, shifting over to his side slowly and pressing his body against the back of hers, fitting his posture together perfectly with hers as he gently draped an arm over her, placing a hand warmly upon her bare arm. Her skin was still a little damp from the shower and a bit cool to the touch, prompting him to rub his hand up and down her arm soothingly. The warm touch of his hand was comforting, but nonetheless made goosebumps form along her skin. He could feel her melting into him, pressing back against him and taking a deep, blissful breath; Sora's more primal instincts began taking over as he felt himself beginning to flush with heat. He felt hardness growing between his legs, which he quickly caught and tried to smother between his thighs so as not to cause her alarm. As they each lay there, happily taking in the feeling of one another, they each closed their eyes for a moment before Kairi spoke up again.

"Do you love me, Sora?" She asked softly though not abruptly, catching Sora off guard for a moment as he lay there silently.

Sora took a deep and relaxing breath before answering; there was no point in hiding it any longer...

"Yes..." he answered quietly and a bit apprehensively, almost afraid of her reaction.

Kairi rolled over slowly in his arms to face him, placing a hand upon his cheek gently.

"I want to hear you say it." Kairi continued, simple and to the point, looking deep into his eyes.

Sora took another deep and relaxing breath, closing his eyes as he did so.

"I love you..." Sora answered softly, opening his eyes to gaze into hers. "I love you, Kairi...I always have."

Kairi inched closer to him, her nose brushing up against his, her breath light and cool against his lips.

"I love you, too, Sora..." Kairi admitted to him, her voice soft and soothing, closing her eyes and smiling. "I should have said it to you a long time ago..."

Sora's eyes closed slowly, taking in the sight of her and burning it into his mind before leaning his head forward, pressing his lips softly up against hers. The sensation of the kiss turned the very blood in her veins into molten lava, washing over her instantly. Her hands ran up his back, feathering up into his hair and pressing his head forward gently. Sora's lips pressed into hers a bit harder, their lips parting for the slightest of moments; pushing her lips open slowly with his, Sora's tongue gently slid into her open mouth, intertwining with Kairi's. Kairi moaned softly into his mouth, the sensation making her heart beat even faster; it was something she hadn't experienced before, even with Riku, and something she intended to savor. The inside of her mouth tasted sweet like a fresh strawberry, Sora enjoying every second it; he placed her hand flat against her back, tracing down her spine with the tips of his fingers and stopping at the small of her back, the bottom half of his hand resting upon her ass and then moving across her waist to rest upon her hip. His touch was intoxicating through the thin fabric of her shirt, making Kairi crave it even more; placing her hand upon his, she guided his hand down her hip to place it upon her upper thigh. Sora began moving his hand up and down her leg, enjoying the way her freshly-shaven smooth skin felt beneath his fingers, making her purr deep in her throat as he explored her flesh. His hand moved upward, dipping beneath her shirt and moving up her back, gliding across the curve of her ass and moving up to her bare back. Kairi broke the kiss for a moment, taking a deep and blissful breath.

"Touch me..." she breathed hotly against his lips, urging him to go further before pressing her lips firmly back against his and thrusting her tongue into his mouth.

It was all the motivation Sora needed, deepening their kiss as he moved his hand up her back to her shoulder then brushing his fingers delicately across the back of her neck, making her shiver against his touch as his fingers worked their way into her hair. Sora slowly broke their kiss, placing a soft kiss upon her jawline before taking her earlobe into his mouth, suckling upon it lightly before tracing down her neck with the tip of his tongue, placing his lips upon the racing pulse in her neck and nipping at it lightly. Kairi's head tilted back and to the side, moaning blissfully as she allowed him better access. Sora's hand glided back down her back, grabbing the bottom seam of her shirt gently in his fingers and pulling it upward. The act made pangs of pleasure travel up Kairi's spine; she guided his mouth away from her neck for a moment, sitting up a bit to allow him to pull the shirt up and over her head. Sora got the shirt up just below her breasts, exposing her flat and smooth belly before hesitating.

"Are you sure...?" He asked in a rush of breath, not wanting to push this too far, too fast.

Kairi smiled at him cutely, placing a gentle kiss upon his lips in reply as she guided his hands upward. Breaking the kiss, she allowed him to pull the night shirt up over her head; placing the shirt to the side without really paying it much attention, Sora gazed upon her naked chest, placing his hands upon her stomach and guiding her to lay down upon the bed. His hands traveled slowly up her abdomen, studying every inch of her flesh with his hands as they ghosted up towards her torso. Kairi sucked in a sharp breath as Sora's hands glided up over her ample breasts, kneading them softly as he placed his thighs on either side of her hips and sat upright. Kairi's back arched up against his touch as he rolled each breast in his hands, lightly pinching her nipples between his fingers. Her hands ran down his back, hungrily grabbing the bottom of his shirt in her hands and peeling it off of him. As he caressed her gently, she ran her hands down his chest, exploring each muscle as her fingers traced across them. Sora leaned down, catching her mouth and reengaging their deep kiss, laying flat against her, the mixture of their naked flesh filling each other with warmth. Kairi's hands ran down Sora's strong back, grabbing the waistband of his pajama pants and pushing them down past the curve of Sora's buttocks. Shifting against her, Sora wiggled out of his pants, kicking them off the end of the bed and laying against her completely naked. Sora's erect member pressed firmly against Kairi's crotch, brushing against the soft cotton of her panties and making the fabric flood with warmth as he started grinding against her softly. The sensation sent a hot shiver up Kairi's spine as a moan escaped her lips, breaking their kiss. Sora shifted his body so he was laying half on her with his other side resting against the bed, interlocking one of his hands with hers as he continued kissing down her neck to her collarbone, glancing up to see her blissful face; her eyes were closed to barely open slits and her cheeks were flushed with color as her lips remained slightly parted, letting breathy moans escape them now and then. Sora smiled to himself before continuing down her chest, resting his face between her swelling cleavage for a moment before tracing his tongue across one of her breasts, taking one of her nipples between his lips and suckling it gently. Kairi's back arched again, another sharp moan escaping her lips as his tongue encircled her aureola, taking the other breast in his free hand and kneading it a bit more firmly this time.

"Sora..." Kairi breathed out blissfully. "That feels amazing..."

For a while, Sora continued, making sure that Kairi was feeling as wonderful as possible as she threaded her fingers through his hair. Sora backed his mouth away from her nipple, grazing it lightly with his teeth which made her shudder with pleasure. He continued moving his mouth slowly down her chest, placing gentle kisses here and there, stopping at her belly button and placing the tip of his tongue inside it for a moment, making her giggle. Sora moved back up, looking into her eyes and placing a hand upon her cheek, just taking in her beauty for a moment or two before placing a deep kiss upon her waiting mouth.

"Kairi..." Sora said as he broke the kiss, tracing his fingers lightly down her abdomen, hooking a finger into the top seam of her panties. "Can I?"

Kairi smiled warmly and nodded, then thrust her tongue into his mouth pleadingly. As she did so, Sora hooked his hand into her panties, peeling them down slowly over her thighs until they dangled off the end of one of her slender feet and revealing a small, soft patch of red hair. Sora's hand traced up the inside length of her leg, parting her legs gently as he teasingly traced her inner thigh with his finger. Once she seemed blissfully distracted, Sora's hand glided up, the tips of his fingers gently parting the lips of her pussy as he traced it up and down. The touch sent a shockwave of pleasure through her body as she moaned loudly into his mouth; for a moment he traced his finger along her slit, relishing in the warm wetness of it. Then, he took the tip of his middle finger, placing it between her slick folds and inserted it slowly inside her. Her back arched again against his penetrating finger, moaning so loudly into his mouth that their kiss broke. Sora then began pumping his finger in and out, slowly at first and then picking up speed, dragging it across the bumpy flesh of her g-spot. Kairi threw her head back, screaming with pleasure; as if this wasn't enough for her, Sora took his thumb and began rubbing it gently against her clit, sending daggers of bliss through her body. His rhythmic motions began to slow as he withdrew his finger; her eyes peeled open as she took deep breaths to calm herself, gazing lovingly into his endless blue eyes. Sora brought the finger he used to penetrate her up into his mouth, sucking her juices off of it satisfactorily while giving Kairi a playful wink, making her laugh at him before returning to her gaze of blissful pleasure. Sora gave her a quick kiss before once again moving down her body, parting her thighs with each hand and placing tiny butterfly kisses along the inside of her thighs, making her breathe in sharply each time he did so. Sora looked up at her, smiling wickedly and making her wonder what exactly he was up to. She wouldn't have to wait long to find out; Sora placed his head between Kairi's legs, drawing a long and slow lick up the length of her snatch with the tip of his tongue buried deep inside her. Kairi's back shot straight up like a pilot ejected from a fighter jet, letting out a sound that was a mixture of a scream and a moan; it caught her off guard no doubt, but nonetheless, it felt good when he did it. Gently she pushed upon the back of his head to urge him to continue, as Sora continued dragging his tongue up the length of her, flicking her engorged clit with the tip of his tongue, and then back down to penetrate her with it slowly. The whole thing completely intoxicated Sora; the smell alone was enough to drive him wild, but the way she tasted was nothing short of incredible. Finally, Kairi got to the point where she couldn't possibly take any more; pulling his head up and bringing him to lay upon her once again, she gazed pleadingly into his eyes.

"Please, Sora," she began. "I want you...inside me."

Sora opened his mouth to speak, instead smiling at her lovingly and placing a gentle kiss upon her lips that he held there for a moment before gazing back into those beautiful, piercing eyes of hers.

"But..." she continued. "Just...be gentle. I've never..."

Sora eyes widened; he had just assumed that Kairi and Riku had been together, which was partly the reason he had done half the things he had done to her (reading magazines was often a good way to pass the time during his travels, and they often contained many articles regarding the pleasure of the opposite sex).

"You mean, you're...a virgin?" Sora asked, trying not to sound shocked about it.

"Yeah..." Kairi admitted, somewhat embarrased. "I was always waiting for the right time...I just...never felt that way before..."

Sora smiled warmly, placing a gentle kiss upon her lips.

"So am I, Kai...it's okay." Sora said reassuringly.

Realization hit Kairi like a ton of bricks and suddenly, she realized something that brought tears to her eyes.

"You were saving yourself...for me." Kairi said as a tear spilled down her cheek. "Oh, Sora..."

Sora kissed away the tear from her cheek, placing his hand upon it warmly.

"We'll take it slow, OK?" He said soothingly.

Sora had always had a way of making her feel like everything was going to be okay; it was one of the things Kairi loved the most about him. Smiling, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in and kissing him passionately. Sora placed a hand upon Kairi's hip, taking his erect member in the other and pressing it against her entrance. Kairi breathed pleasurably against his mouth; he wasn't inside her yet, and already she felt as though she was going to explode. Sora placed the tip of himself inside her, and then gently guided himself in; the feeling was indescribable to either of them, making them both suck in air sharply as Sora pushed farther. He opened his eyes, looking down at Kairi's face and gently broke their kiss; she winced a bit as he pushed on, so he stopped where he was and gently began pumping in and out slowly and rhythmically, being careful not to go any farther than she was comfortable with. The sensation made Kairi scream out with pleasure as she grabbed Sora's shoulders tightly.

"Oh God, Sora..." Kairi breathed out in a rush. "It feels so good."

Sora continued pumping slowly, bending down to press his lips to hers softly as he quickened his pace a little bit at a time. After a few moments, Kairi's hands glided down Sora's back, cupping around his buttocks and pushing forward lightly. Sora pushed forward slowly and steadily, sheathing himself into her entirely. Kairi's head tilted back and she let out a scream as Sora pierced her maiden wall, a warm rush of crimson flooding out from inside her. He stopped suddenly, looking down at her with a bit of concern in his eyes before she threw her arms back around his neck, pulling him forcefully in for a deep kiss as he continued thrusting in and out of her. He began slowly and steadily at first, pushing deep inside her, then pulling back to the point where just the head of his cock was inside, then pushing back in to her core. Before long, Kairi's winces faded and were replaced with deep moans that filled Sora's mouth; he quickened his pace, his tongue intertwining with hers like two wrestling serpents. Her moans became sharper and more frequent as he started thrusting faster and faster, their naked bodies sliding against one another and making her perfectly-round breasts bounce in unison with Sora's thrusts.

"Kai..." Sora moaned out as their lips parted for the slightest moment, his breaths becoming heavier. "You feel so good..."

Kairi moaned against his mouth, pushing her lips into his harder, her tongue darting deep into his mouth before breaking their kiss for a moment.

"God, you feel amazing!" Kairi all but screamed in pleasure, the good-little-girl fading into something hungry for more, her fingernails digging into his back.

Sora thrust himself in as hard and deep as he could, pounding himself inside Kairi as her nails dug red lines into his flesh. Sora's hand glided down her stomach, reaching between her legs for her swollen clit, pinching and rolling it between his thumb and forefinger firmly yet gently. The overwhelming pleasure sent Kairi over the edge as her hips bucked upward, climaxing around Sora's pounding cock. The flood of pleasure from deep inside Kairi enveloped Sora in the wet heat of her pussy, his throbbing member exploding deep inside her and filling her to the brim. The two of them held their position for a moment, Kairi's hips bucked against Sora as he tried to push even deeper inside her than he had been before they collapsed, sinking weightlessly back into the bed. Each of them was panting for air, their bodies slick and sweaty; Kairi wrapped her arms loosely around Sora waist as he rolled to her side, keeping himself buried inside her.

"That was incredible..." Kairi panted, trying to catch her breath and resting her cheek upon Sora's chest.

"Yeah, I was pretty good, wasn't I?" Sora asked jokingly, causing Kairi to punch him playfully in the shoulder as they each shared a laugh.

Kairi again lay her head upon Sora's chest, closing her eyes and breathing him in blissfully. She opened her eyes for a moment, catching a glimpse of what appeared to be a scar upon Sora's chest. Leaning back slightly, she traced her fingers down the length of a bisected scar running down his chest, looking up at him questioningly.

"Is this from..." Kairi began, speaking quietly.

"When I released your heart..." Sora answered for her, offering her a smile. "It's been a long time...but I can still feel it now and then..."

Kairi leaned her head up, placing a soft kiss upon his lips.

"My heart has always been with you, Sora..." Kairi said with a smile. "Even before that day..."

Sora traced his fingers across her forehead, tucking her hair back behind her ear before pulling her tightly to him.

"I love you, Kairi." Sora breathed to her.

She smiled blissfully, placing her head back upon his chest and listening to the soothing sounds of his heartbeat.

"And I love you, Sora..."

The two of them remained embraced throughout the night, Sora keeping himself inside her and holding her close to him. After all they had been through, after all the trials that life had thrown their way, one thing had always remained constant...

The light still burned.

…..

**Again, my apologies for the delay in getting this chapter out to all of you. I know the anticipation for this chapter has been pretty high. Bear with me for right now; I have been in transition on my way back to the states for the last month and most places I stop on the way have no internet (fail!). One thing to keep in mind, this is definitely NOT the last chapter (I was going to make it the last chapter, but there are more loose ends to tie up and this chapter is way too long as it is). I have at very least one or two more chapters to go. Once I get home, it might be tough for me to update as regularly as I would like, but family comes first, so please be patient. Thanks for reading, see you next chapter!**


	24. One Day At A Time

**A/N: So needless to say I haven't had much energy since coming back home, sorry about that. Going back to work so trying to get this wrapped up. Thanks for being patient, and for your reviews. I apologize for last chapter being too wordy, and I have gone in and added a disclaimer at the beginning about the adult situations therein. Again, my apologies; like I said at the beginning, this is my first fic. I do appreciate the constructive criticism; I asked and you have answered. Maybe adding that whole situation at the end of the last chapter wasn't my best idea (which is the consensus I've received from a few of the reviews), but I made a decision and I stand by it. So if that has ruined the story for you, I apologize.**

…..

Morning broke calm and peaceful, gentle sunlight entering through thin curtains and casting across the room. The warmth of daybreak casted across her bare skin, relaxing her into the soft mattress as she stirred slightly against the sheet draped loosely across her naked form. Kairi's head lolled to the side, the rest of her body following suit as her arm reached outward, feeling an absence on the bed beneath her that slowly brought her out of her dreamlike state, her eyelids fluttering open like the wings of a butterfly.

"Sora?" She called out softly, realizing that he was no longer lying beside her as her hand felt about for him absently.

Sitting upright in the bed, she rubbed her eyes against the invading brightness of the sun as she looked about the room for any sign of the Keybearer. The door to the bedroom was cracked slightly; a calm sizzling sound could be heard from somewhere in the house as an aroma of sweet spices filled her nostrils. Peeling the covers back, she stepped out of the bed, plucking her pajama shirt from the floor and pulling it on groggily as she padded across the plush carpet to the doorway. The door to the bedroom opened noiselessly as she stepped into the hallway, the sounds and smells that had caught her attention intensifying as she made her way towards the main area of the house. There was a suppressed clatter of metal and porcelain as she stepped into the living room, peeking around the corner into the kitchen. Her face became warm as she smiled, watching as Sora was moving about from the stove to the counter and back again, trying to be as quiet as possible and all the while trying not to trip over his baggy pajama bottoms that sagged beneath the heels of his feet. Sidling up behind him quietly, she reached out, placing her hand softly against his back, causing him to jump with surprise. He craned his neck around, looking at her over his shoulder and smiling warmly before placing a gentle kiss upon her lips.

"Morning, sunshine." Sora greeted her. "I was hoping to have this done before you woke up…"

"Morning…" she replied, wrapping her arms around his waist and laying her cheek upon his back as she breathed in blissfully. "It smells wonderful."

Sora was busily working at the stove, moving a stack of freshly-made French toast from the griddle to a pair of plates nearby, the amalgam of cinnamon and vanilla aromas pouring into the air. Kairi backed away, taking a seat at the nearby kitchen table and watching him with a smile; never before had she known Sora to cook anything that wasn't frozen or canned, but he seemed to know what he was doing. Within a few moments, he strode from the kitchen, carrying a plate in each hand and setting one down at either place on the table. Making a few more trips, he came back with a bowl of fresh fruit for each of them as well as a glass carafe full of fresh orange juice, placing it neatly in the center of the table as he sat a glass near each of their plates. Finally, he sat down across from her, offering a smile as he did so. Kairi graciously picked up her silverware, carving a bite out of her stack of French toast as melted butter pooled around her knife. Sora watched as she placed the fork in her mouth, watching her eat the first bite with hopeful apprehension.

"So…how is it?" He asked a bit nervously.

At first she wasn't quite sure what to expect as she began chewing the first bite, but as she did so a wonderful mix of flavors poured into her mouth as she closed her eyes, making a soft moaning sound in her throat.

"Sora, this is amazing!" She answered. "Where did you learn to cook like this?"

Sora winked at her, smirking playfully as he raised a bite to his mouth.

"Glad you like it." He offered simply.

…..

The place was unusually empty, most of the morning rush having come and gone; only one loyal customer remained, seated in her usual spot. A soft jingle came from behind her signaling that the door had just opened, although she paid it little mind. A pair of strong hands rested lightly upon her shoulders for a moment, making her jump in her seat a bit.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Yuffie." A soft voice called from behind her with a kind of serenity in it that she hadn't heard in what seemed like forever before he stepped around and plopped into the seat across from her.

"Hey, Sora." Yuffie replied with a warm smile. "It's okay, I haven't been waiting long. I ordered our usual; Selphie should be done with it any minute."

"Sounds good." Sora replied with his bright white smile plastered on his face as he offered a wave to Selphie, who was behind the counter working busily.

A moment later their order had arrived, filling the air about them with bold-scented wisps of steam.

"So..?" Yuffie began pleadingly, reaching for her cup.

"So…what?" Sora teased deliberately as he reached for his cup and dragged it closer to him.

"How did everything go last night, you dolt?" Yuffie snickered, shaking her head at him.

"Isn't it obvious?" He asked lightheartedly as he took a sip of his coffee.

"No way!" Yuffie shrieked excitedly before realizing she was dangerously close to mimicking Selphie's obnoxious tone. "So you told her how you feel?"

Sora nodded, setting his cup down.

"And she feels the same way." Sora answered the next obvious question for her.

"Sora!" Yuffie exclaimed with a grin, grabbing his arm and shaking it playfully. "I'm so happy for you!"

"Thanks." He said, smiling brightly as they each took a drink from their respective cups.

"So…" Yuffie began as she sat her cup back down on the table. "What now?"

The question sent Sora's mind racing and made his heart pound in his chest; for so long had he wanted to be with Kairi, to be hers. There was so much time he had lost, so much left undone…

"Who knows…" he replied simply with a shrug. "The way I see it, we've got all the time in the world."

…..

Days went by, then weeks. The months fell from the calendar like withered leaves from a tree in the autumn and became years strewn upon the ground.

Three years, to be exact.

Not a single chill wind or hastily delivered piece of parchment bearing the royal seal. No more pain or fear or suffering, no more being alone in the dark; the peace seemed all too familiar and at the same time serene and welcome. What had been destroyed had been rebuilt, what had been lost had been found, and what once seemed so far out of reach was now within grasp. It was beautiful, and as some would undoubtedly point out, well deserved.

Yuffie and Selphie argued over the arrangements, more specifically the lack of yellow, which Yuffie insisted would make the bride-to-be sick to her stomach. She trusted them completely, she wouldn't have asked them to be her bridesmaids if she hadn't; when it came to the flowers, however, she could think of only one person to turn to…

A former flower girl from the slums of a world long gone, and the wife of one of her groom-to-be's most trusted friends.

Tidus and Wakka handled the one thing they knew better than anyone; the food. They would be his groomsmen, while the trusted friend would be his best man. He stone-cold façade almost cracked the day he asked him, and although he was honored to accept, he didn't think himself worthy of the task at first.

"It has to be you," he assured him. "You're the closest person I have to a brother."

_Brother_…that simple word alone touched him.

The gruff-exteriored Gummi Ship captain with a heart of gold was who she asked to walk her down the aisle.

"My parents are gone…" she explained, holding back her tears. "My father…"

It was all he needed to hear.

A pair of soft emerald green eyes looked down on them from the distant afterlife, smiling upon them as they exchanged their vows.

…..

The peace would last for years. Of course, there were threats out there that the kingdom felt the need to eradicate, but it was _his_ job now.

"What if they reach Destiny Islands?" The King asked. "Shouldn't we warn them?"

The leather-clad warrior glanced over his shoulder and smirked as he grabbed the handle of his Gunblade.

"If they're _that_ stupid…" he replied tersely. "God help them."

…..

One day, the peace would end, of that he was certain; the day it did, he would stand ready to defend his home. He would never leave them to their fate again, this he promised each of them. This was his home; these people were his family…

God help any soul that would try and take that from him again.

There was one day that the chill wind returned, and a single creature approached their world, enshrouded in darkness. Their hero approached the creature, but did not attack; instead he offered a simple warning, with his Keyblade drawn and leveled with the creature's gaze:

"My name is Sora. I am the wielder of the Keyblade and destroyer of the Darkness. This is my home. You and your kind are not welcome here. I offer you this one chance to leave peacefully, for if you ever return, it will be the last thing you ever do."

…..

_**EPILOGUE**_

He had his mother's crimson-red hair, his father's gravity-defying spikes shooting out in every direction, and those same endless pools of ocean-blue that shined with the light of each new day. His father held his hand as they walked down the beach, towering over him protectively and keeping him from sliding in the sand every time his tiny feet sank into the fine powder. They stopped every now and then, picking up seashells and skipping rocks across the surface of the water. As they stopped, the little boy's tiny voice squeaked out.

"Daddy," the little boy asked. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure thing, buddy," Sora answered with a bright smile as he knelt in the sand in front of him. "What is it?"

"How did I get my name?" The boy asked quizzically, cocking his head to the side a bit.

Sora laughed, placing his hand upon the boy's shoulder.

"Well, son…" Sora began with a sparkle in his eye. "You were named after the two bravest, most honorable men I have ever known."

The boy sat down Indian-style in the sand, listening intently to his father's story.

"One was your uncle…" Sora continued with a bit of a choke to his voice. "The other was someone that helped Daddy fight the bad guys so I could come back home to Mommy."

A solitary tear rolled down Sora's cheek as he looked out into the horizon.

"That's how we picked your name…Riku Janus…"

…..

_**THE END**_

…..

**Special thanks to everyone who has read this story and stuck with me until the end. I still have one more chapter to this, which I should have done very shortly. I know this was a short chapter, but the last one more than made up for that I think. Please read and review. Thank you.**


	25. In Closing

**A/N: Okay, so this really isn't a chapter per se, it's more of a wrap-up piece.**

_**INSPIRATIONS / SPECIAL THANKS:**_

The obvious inspiration with this story is _Kingdom Hearts_, which in turn includes influences of the Final Fantasy series (_Final Fantasy VII_ to be specific), and to a lesser extent _Chrono Trigger_. Thanks to Square Enix for coming up with such epic characters and storylines.

My next greatest inspiration to write this came from _ParadiseAvenger_. I instantly became hooked on her KH fics, and that is what mainly inspired me to not only write again, but to take a crack at writing my first fic. If it wasn't for you and your brilliant writing style, I never would have had the motivation to write this. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Being a soldier myself, I know the sting of coming home to find that life has moved on without you, and realizing how much you have missed out on. That is where a lot of my inspiration for the angst that Sora felt came from. Not saying that this is a direct parallel to my life (could you imagine?) but I definitely did take some of my experiences and plug them in here. I wrote the majority of this while stationed in Afghanistan, hence the delays I've often had with updates, for which I do apologize. If you see someone in uniform, walk up to them, shake their hand, and thank them for the sacrifices they make.

Special thanks to everyone who has read this, especially to those who have left a review. This was a completely new experience for me and you have all contributed to it.

_**TRIVIA:**_

Okay so a lot of the little allusions I put in this story are pretty easy to pick up on for the most part. If you're a fan of the _Final Fantasy _series, a lot of them will make sense to you. I'll admit, I did put a reference to one of ParadiseAvenger's stories in Chapter 4. Nothing too obvious but if you've read her work, you'll get it.

_**FINAL THOUGHTS:**_

This will hopefully not be my last fanfic, but I would like to get some final thoughts in the reviews. There will not be a sequel to this story; however, I have been toying with an alternate storyline to go along with it. Nothing huge or drawn out, just a little fun thing for some people out there that have told me that you wanted a certain outcome to go differently (that's all I'm gonna say!).

I am not an artist by any means whatsoever, so if anyone out there wants to do some fan art based on this fic, feel free. I don't own the rights to _Kingdom Hearts_ or any of the characters, so I can't really say no, but I would appreciate you giving me at least some credit (i.e. – this is based off of Billy Creston's fanfic, etc.). If someone wants to take this on, that would be awesome. I would love to see if your interpretations of the characters/appearances match with what I have in mind.

I have a few ideas for stories that I'm considering turning into fanfics, at least one of which would be for Kingdom Hearts. I may put some teasers out there and see what gets positive responses.

And…I'm spent. Thank you, and goodnight.

*takes a bow*

*curtains*


End file.
